) 


\,  Vv  ^  ^  •  •  •  • 


LAWRENCE  J.  GUTTER 

Collection  of  Chicogoono 

THE    UNIVERSITY   OF   ILLINOIS 
AT  CHICAGO 

The  University  Library 


l2/{  'T'^^^lx  vLuy^  ^A-f^  ^Jjtyi^*^^^ 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcliive 

in  2010  witli  funding  from 

CARLI:  Consortium  of  Academic  and  Researcli  Libraries  in  Illinois 


http://www.archive.org/details/matthewpetersforOOgoug 


lotlier,  Mrs.  Anise  Sli.-irp  Kob- 
-ts,in;iiiitaine(l  fjiifoftln.-  "Stations" 
f  the  Underground  Kailro.-id.  Utrc- 
e  lived  among  the  pinv  and  lolly 
nils,  who  gave  liini  in  theii^  Iiouk' 
ie  place  of  a  son 

indtiess  were  healed,  and  tlie  t'oini- 
ation  of  a  Iridy  noI)le  character 
Lrengthened  and  uiaUircd  l)y 
Mother"  Roberts  and  the  heallh- 
d  surroundings  ol'  tlic  new  home. 
he   civil    war  began,      .\pril   21st, 


sireei  gamni  lor  wnom  sue  nati  ten- 
derly ;ind  lovingly  cared  nearly  half 
a  eentui'v  before.  Maj.  Peters  is  one 
of  the  nation's  true  nobleman.  He 
is  a  man  of  fine  literary  attainments* 
The  sears  ol' mi-  <iiid  creditably  served  one  term  in 
the  legislature  of  this  state.  He  pos- 
sesses Hne  business  ability  and  iS  cs- 
teeine<l  by  all  wiio  know  him  for  his 
high  iiuegrily.  We  iiave  begged  ] »er- 
mission  of  ihe  ina'jor  to  publish  in 
this    ])ai)er,    next     week?    his     [)oem 


801,  heenlistedatS])ringlield.  Ohio,  '  "t'"<'^''"-''' ■'"''  '•"    ^vritten    upon    the 
I  Co.  E,  10th  Ohio   Volunteers   and  i '"^■''•'-""t  of  his  service    in    the    I'nion 


army  and  his  brother's  service  in  the 
Confederate  army.  We  cannot  close 
this  brief  biogra])hical  sketch  with- 
out  acknowledging   our    obligatiqrl 


mm 


:;rved  his  term  in  N'irginiaand  Mary- 

md  during  the  summer.      In  the  fall 

e  re-enlisted  at  Xenia,  Oliio   in   Co.; 

\  74th  Ohio  Volunteers,  under  Capt.  ' 

ortk,  who  was  a  brother  of  General  ;  t^^  ^^I''^-  Helen  M.Goi.ger.  who  wrote 

eorj^e  Cocrk.     Altogether  he   servecM^^f'  published  in  book  formtheslorv 

~  T  fthe  life  of  Major  Peters.  The 
Suook  is  entitled,  "A  Foreign  Emi- 
s:js^rant"  and  is  an  interesting  history 
"C  \nd  a  beautiful  tribute  to  our  worthy 
'Uieighbor  and  fellow  townsman. 

'■-«.\o((i;   .->iii    ,o  .\UB JO  Ado.-».io.i  A 

•.ioiiM.->ii.->i5' si,>.r!  .->11.->[.\1.-1.-»1.'  'I^Ji:,! 
Q.   '""^[f.W      "I        {)     :.l.->dl.M.^S     |.VM[.\\      - 

^H     '11.1.1.11;^^     -,1       ^^      :.iiis.-..\.u:i| 

^■i!(|-|[..s      •^v,v\.n..{,     •d.n.Mis      v    -l"  lu, 

_>ni    ii.ui.'i    •  no i.x^u  1.1,1    'inojis||.-»v^  mi 

^^    -..u-^pwir;    pi;o.i    •(iii.'Nj.i,!  -spj.JU  till 

_j     (I       S   ^''iniU.o   -pUWISI   .Ml|v|    M.Ml     .M\ 

^••'I  •\-  :.i.->uii.'|d  n.io.t  -i.-wLMio  '•'•"'1    pu 

'    H     r  :'^S.->.ld    1U1.M>[  .I.->IU.'S  ^"fuipiM.-I      -xj.-i 

T     :        "ssHpno^i    V    Ipui;   rino    I    M    'm: 
W-..,w..inj   xfuiuinsu«).-»  .■»>n)uis  '^juijuiiy 
lpM[suii^   -a  -.VV  :-'--'pni.ir;  -pin-ixi  .-.ii-.; 


\TT 


4iii>[  >->uL[  s  iir>.i|)[ii[;) 


NOVEMBER  15,  'Qoo. 


WATSEKA,  ILL., 


»SS)?9*saSiSSS***S3*«SSSSSS*®SS999i**S*S*3!SgfgSgSi5SSaas 


HON.   AlATTHEWS  HENRY  PETERS. 


Maj.  IV-KTs  «:i~  born  in  tlu'  l.ur-  wanlcil  anil  n.U  Unvs.  lUil  nothing 
ilOlicr  niurti.a-li  in  r,crni:iny,  jiinL-  ilannU-d,  he  iirest-ntiid  himself  to 
inlv,  IS-i:!.  In  lS4i;  his  parents  i  andthcr  officer,  Licnt.  Wni.H.\Yade, 
came  to  Americil  .nnl  laniled  at  New  !  who  enlisted  him  saying  however 
Orleans.  In  IS,",,",  ihcterrihle  seonrge  .  that  he  did-not  think  he  would  pass 
,,l  yell,)w  lever  e;irrie,l  away  the  ninster.  The  eompany  was  harried 
thriftv  lailieran,]  nlotlier  anil  also  lo  L'oUnnlnis,  the  state  eapital,  for 
two  ehihlren.  le;,ving  .M.atthew  and  inspeetion.  I'eters  passed  ninster 
hisln-olher  S;,ninel.  aged  respectively  wlnlc  sever.al  others  older,  ami  lai-g- 
1(1     an,l     s      vc.ars,      orpli.an      w,-.irs    cr,  were  rejeclc.l. 

to  lie  cared  lor  l.v  the  htfiddeerecs  ,,f  Unring  the  civil  war,  Samnel.  the 
chance  an.l  eh.-n-itv.  The  tw,,  l.oys  M.aior's  In-,,ther,  was  in  the  Cnled- 
f,,nnd  an  .-isvlnm  ,at  rni  oriihanagei.i  cr.ite  service.  ;m„1  was  ,-,  nicnd.cr  of 
.Nov  (irlean-  where  ihev  renn.i.ted  the  Thir,l  I„  ,,nMana  ca  valrv  .\lter 
.nttil  bound  ., lit  t,,  those  whosonght  the  close  of  the  war  M.ijor  IVters 
snch  nnlortini.atc  wails  of  s.ieiclv  ;is  bcg.an  .a  search  lor  his  brother  and 
.Matthew  was  lifter  nineli  per,scveraiiee  limn, I  him, 
,lriekcn    laihn-,    since    which  time  llu     bn, tilers    h.ave 

linen  t,  lie  bm'c  '  st.,iies  of  their  live>  One  of  the  most 
and  maltreat-  lonehing  illciilents  ,if  the  li  le  .  ,f  .\l.ai. 
iths  .ami  ihcn  I'eters  relates  t,,  the  last  ve.ars  ol 
an  aw.ay  from'  ".Mother"  R.ilicrts  InlST.",,  uhen 
he    w.as     ,S1'     veals     of    age,    ^l,ajor 


those  for  servants 
where  he  niel  will 


braving  .all  da, 
his   ernel 


While     loile 


alionl  the  levee,  hungry  ami  ,lesolate  i  I'eleis  and  his  estimable  wile  learned 

he  met    Heiirv    S,    Koberts,    one    of   that  Mrs.  Roberts  was  alone    in    the 

I  hose  fearless' and    noble   sonls    who  j  world.       With  lo 

in  those  d.avK  devoted  their  lives  and 

energies  to  the  liberations    of  slrives 

from  bondage..    Mr.  Koberts  learned 

some  tilings  from  the  boy,    |irobably 


was  brought  to  Watseka,  ami 
the  cosiest  corner,   not     only    ii 
home  but  in  1  he  hearts  of  the    Ma,iOj 
and  Mrs.  IVters.      On  .|ami 
1  ,S'.).|.,  this  venerable  s.iiiil  .11   the  m 


i 


ilH-iu  |.,r  s.inu  ninmlis  .-m.l  tllell 
hr.-iviiiy  .-.li  ,l;,,i,t;ci-s  nm  away  from 
Ills  Liucl  iiiastL-r.  While  loitering  j 
about  tlic  levee,  hungry  anddesolafe  [ 
lie  met  Henry  S.  Roberts,  one  of 
those  fearless  an. 1  noble  souls  «-ho 
in  those  .lays  ilevote.l  their  lives  and  I 
energies  to  the  liberations  of  slaves 
from  bondage.  Mr.  K.jljcrts  learned 
s.nne  things  from  the  boy.  probablv 
-iiessed  mueh  more,  and  hna'.U 


lOU 

■hing 

ineid 

ents  .iftlK 

Pet 

■rs  re 

ates 

t..    the    la 

■M 

nlicr 

'    Ko 

lerts        In 

she 

was 

.SI' 

veai-s     ..r 

Pet 

-rs  ai 

.1  his 

esiim.-dile 

tha 

Mrs 

K.,1 

wo, 

Id. 

Witl 

L.viug  ea 

\va.- 

hr,.i 

,t;ht  t 

o  Watsek 

the 

eosfe^ 

t  eor 

ler    in>t 

,  and  gi 
iilv    in 


the  h, 


npany 


"Stati. 


per- 
suaded M.-itthew  t< 
north.         .Mr,      Ko 

tSpringlielil,      Ohio, 

j  mother.  .Mrs.  .\i 
ertp,  maintained  on 
of  thellndert;T.>nnd  Kailr.iad,      Here 

;  he  lived  am.mg  the  ]nnv  an.l  lofty 
souls,  who  gave  him  in    their    home 

i  the  phiee  of  a  son.  The  se.nrs  .Tl'iin- 
kindness  \\'ere  healed,  and  the    foun- 

I  dation  of  a  truly  noble  ehanieter 
strengthened  and  matured  b\ 
"Mother"  Roberts  and  the  health- 
ful surroundings  of  the  new  home. 
The   eivil    war  began.      April   21st, 

I  1861,  he  enlisted  at  Springfield,  Ohio, 

I  in  Co.  E,  Kith  Ohio   Yolttnteers   and 

I  served  his  term  in  Virginia  and  Marv- 
land  during  the  summer.     In  the  fall 

t  l)e  re-enlisted  at  Xenia,  Ohio   in   Co. 

!  F,  7-tth  Ohio  Volunteers,  under  Capt. 

i  Cool;,  who  was  a  brother  of  General 
George  Cooi;.  .\ltogether  he  served 
four  years  and  three  months.  He 
wasseverely  wounded  at  the  battle 
of  Stone  River,  Dec.  31st,  1862,  in  the 
right  arm,  which  is  still  partially 
disabled.  He  was  severely  wounded 
again  in  the  Atlantic  campaign,  on 
May  9th,  1864,  in  his  right  leg,  the 
leg  being  broken  and  three  inches  of 
bone  being  removed.  He  entered 
the  service  as  a  private,  but  was  pro- 
moted from  time  to  time,  as  sergeant 
lieutenant,  captain  and  finally  ma- 
jor. He  organized  the  first  militia 
company  in  Iroquois  county  in  1873 
aud  was  chosen  captain.     This  cora- 

1  pany  \Vas  assigned  to  the  9th  regi- 
ment Illinois  National  Guard  and 
Maj.  Peters  was  appointed  colonel 
of  the  regiment.  He  held  this  rank 
until  he  resigned  it  in  1883.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  Maj.  Peters, 
then  a  lad  in  his  eighteenth  year, 
was  teaching  school  at  Clifton,  0. 
He  had  two  months  of  an  unexpired 
term  to  teach,  but  his  spirit  of  patri- 
otism was  roused  when  he  heard  the 
call  for  75,000  soldiers  to  defend  the 
Union.  He  went  to  the  trustees  of 
the  district,  secured  his  release  from 
his  contract  to  teach  and  hastened 
to  Springfield  to  enhst.  What  was 
his  chagrin  when  the  captain  (Phillip 
Kershncr)  tol.l  lii?u    it    was   men   he 


fthe  Mai. 11 
and  Mrs.  Peters,  On  (anuarv  ISth, 
i  lSi)4,  this  vener.able  saint  at  the  age 
j  of  1112  years,  passed  to  her  eterna* 
[rest.  For  21  years  she  was  th. 
igue.stof  the  beautiful  home  of  th^ 
i  street  ,sauiin  for  whom  she  had  ten- 
derly and  lovingly  eared  nearly  half 
a  century  before.  Maj.  Peters  is  one 
of  the  nation's  true  nobleman.  He 
is  a  man  of  fine  literary  attainments, 
an. lere.litalfiy  served  one  term  'in! 
the  legislature  of  this  state.  He  pos-j 
sesses  fine  business  ability  and  is  es^ 
teenu-.l  Ijy  all  who  ku..w  him  fbr  hig 
high  inte,grity.  We  have  begged per^ 
mission  of  the  major    to    publish    ilil 


thi: 


pap. 


poeijfl 


"I'.n.ther  .'in.!  I."  written  upon  thJ 
ineuleut  ..riiis  service  in  the  Fnioil 
army  aud  his  !)r.itlicr's  service  in  the' 
Confederate  army.  We  cannot  close 
this  brief  biographical  sketch  with- 
out acknowdcdging  .lur  <>bligati..)n 
to  Mrs.  Helen  M.Goi.ger.  who  wrote 
and  published  in  book  I'orm  thestorv 
of  the  life  of  Major  Peters.  The 
book  is  entitled,  "A  Foreign  Emi- 
grant" and  is  an  interesting  history 
and  a  beautiful  tribute  to  our  worthy 
neighbor  and  fellow  townsman. 


It- 

ily 

1)C 

lis 
(k1 
on 
go 

is 


!1C1 

nd 
Its 
(li- 
tul 
lat 
an 
ct- 
Ibs 

JtS 

)cr 

■(Is 

ip- 

is 

yp- 
nd 
id'e 
ter 
'he 
:he 
;h^ 


of  blasts  that  hiow; 
111  tlu-  talHiiK  I'a'ns  oftlu- .'lutuinn  what   hopes 

(if  till-  lu-arl  arc  drowned, 
W'Iktc  suiniiicrs  abideth  eternal  and  •."eres    is 

i-o!)ed  and  crowned? 
Kejoiee:  for  the  Goddess  ot'l'lenty  halli  smiled 

on  our  labors  di)ne! 
Kejoiee!  o'er  the  h  irvesls  that      rijiened    'mid 

splendor  ofsnirinier  snn! 
Kejoiee!  o'er  c;  eh  ^jrarnered  blessint; 'mid  ilritl- 

injr  leaves  and  r;iin! 
Rejoice!  thoiijih  the  Frost  Kinji's  pennons  are 

fiashina:  o'er  hill  and  plain! 
Kejoiee!  that  all  strife    is    banished    from    the 

len-ith  and  breath  of  the  land! 
Rejoice!  with  each  alien  brother,  extendin.u-    a 

helpinf!:  hand! 
Rejoice!  let  our  national  anthem  e'en  echo  tlu 

world  aroijnd ! 
The  man  of  our  choice  is  honored  and  Ceres  is 

robed  and  cro\vned! 


List  of  Patents. 

The  iohowing-  is  a  hst  ot  patents 
yrantcd  to  Ilhnois  inventors  this 
week,  reported  by  C.  A.  Sno\v&  Co., 
jiatent  attorneys,  Washington,  D.  C. 
— E.  r>anil)eriier,  deviee  for  lianging 
shelves,  drawers,  ete.;  \V.  P.eltield, 
Platterville,  U)ek  nut  for  vehiele  ax- 
els; H.  Bennett  &  j.  E.  Moore,  New 
Haven,  elod  ernsher;  j.  liower,  To- 
l)eka,  wagon  body;  J.  N.  I'runo,  East 
St.  Louis,  ])ork  skinning  inaehine;  ]. 
\V.  (ivonewold,  Golden,  drinking 
trough  lor  hogs  or  eattle.  W.  I>. 
Hartley,  Scnithport,  selfdicalingeom- 
])ound  for  tire  punetures;  \V.  A.  Hill, 
Ursa,  eoui)lling'  for  poles  or  thills;  J. 
.  Hillerv,  Colehester,  eheek  row  corn 
planter:  (;.  P.  HTtlloway,  Oak  Park, 
l)oat;  O.  O.  Hohnan,  LaGrangc,  ato- 
'  niizer;  H.  E.  Irwin,  Galesburg,  dnfter 
for  cutter  truards;  L.  D.  Lawn  in,  hU]- 


9 

4 
« 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4 


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....Thick  Sole 


OUR    LINE 


The  Best  Values  in 


CASEY  & 


Sticccssors  to  ^ 


■\  1 1, 


This  b  Our 


-On  accoune  of  tin 
overstock  of  \u 
rcdtiction  in  price 


iiS    UV-CLUi 


By  invitation  Major  M.  H.  Peters 

occupied  the  position    of  orator   of  i 
I  the  occasion  at  a  G.   A.  R.   campfire 

at  Piper  City  last  Friday  evening. 
I  The  Major  received  a  hearty  welcome 

and    a  full  measuie  of  hospitality. 
I  Doubtless  he  enjoyed  the  visit  and 

the  acquaintance  otthe  Piper  "boys." 


MATTHEW   H.  PETERS. 


Matthew  Peters 

A  FOREIGN   IMMIGRANT 


THE   TT{UE  STOT{Y  OF  ^   LIFE 


BY. 

HELEN  M.  COUGAR 

PEN      SKETCHES      BY      F.     A.     CARTER 


PUBLISHED   BY   HELEN    M.  COUGAR 
LAFAYETTE.  INDIANA 


BROWNE    MURPHEY  &.  CO. 
LAFAYETTE,   IND. 


(y'yi\)ki'b 


/  T>EDICy4TE  THIS  BOOKLET 

to  the  {Memory  of  nij>  sainted  Father,  ~j:hose 

djiiig  message  to  me  was  : 

"Daughter,  be  kind  io  ez'erj'bodf." 


TT{EF^CE 


Matthew    Peters 

A   FOREIGN    IMAUGRAIST 
1S46  1858 


"Record  dXo.  i. 

LaFajette  Ccnrctety, 

[P(eu'  Orleans,  La. 

George  Peters,  aged  p. 

MaL'...u'hHe...njarried...cbaritj>. 

Two  citizens. .. yellow  fever...4tb  District." 

Such  is  the  simple  record  of  the  burial 
of  two  foreig"ii  immigrants,  husband  and 
wife,  around  whose  children  cluster  a 
combination  of  circumstances  stranger 
than  any  web  of  fancy  woven  into  human 
thought,  to  entertain  the  reader  or  to 
teach  the  variableness  of  human  ex- 
perience. 

My  story  is  true  in  the  minutest  detail. 
Events  have  transpired  during  the  period 
of  the  life  of  my  hero  that  have  changed 
the  trend  of  human  endeavor  the  world 
over  and  lifted  mankind  to  possibilities 
which  the  ken  of  man  cannot  yet  divine. 


PREFACE 

I  have  given  the  wings  of  print  to  my 
story  without  expectation  of  reaping 
fame  or  shekels.  If  my  readers  are  en- 
tertained and  led  to  recognize  the  fact 
that  goodness  is  greatness;  that  he  who 
serves  his  brother  best  serves  him- 
self, his  country  and  his  God  best;  if  it 
shall  inspire  men  to  love  liberty  and  the 
free  institutions  of  America  for  the  pos- 
sible development  of  mankind  under  the 
flag;  if  it  shall  teach  devotion  to  duty 
and  fix  the  spirit  of  the  Golden  Rule  in 
all  its  Christian  beauty  in  the  lives  of 
those  who  follow  my  hero  through  his 
struggles  and  triumphs,  I  shall  be  con- 
tent that  I  have  written. 

The  Author. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEK  PACE 

I.  Leaving  Fatherland,      .          .  9 

II.  The  Story  of  a  Waif.           .  12 

III.  A  Slave  Auction,     .           .         .  36 

IV.  The  Under  Ground  Railroad.  39 

V.   Slaves  Duke  and  Don  Escape,  48 

VI.  The  New  Home— Mother 

Roberts,    .  .  .  .59 

VII.   A  War  Reminiscence,  66 

VIII.   A  Conquest  of  Peace — A  Custom 

of  the  Civil  War,  .  .     78 

IX.  The  Blue  and  the  Gray,      .  81 

X.  Mother  Roberts — A  Centenarian  87 

XI.  Searchinjr  for  a  Birthplace,  93 

XII.  A  Municipal  Election,    .          .  109 

XIII.  Campaigning-,    .          .          .  116 

XIV.  Henry  Roberts,      .          .        •  .  127 
XV.  Samuel  Peters,            .          .  128 

XVI.  The  Old  Tailor.     .  .  .129 

XVII.   At  Home,  .  .  .131 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Matthew  H.  Peters,     . 

Frontispiece 

A  Homeless  Boy,     . 

.     Page    13 

A  Runaway  Slave, 

49 

Portrait — Henry  S.  Roberts, 

"        58 

Portrait— Clara  Lyon  Peters, 

-       80 

Symbol  of  Peace, 

.     "        86 

Portrait— Mother  Roberts, 

"       87 

Ober-Otterbach, 

.     "        93 

Lauterbach  Waltz, 

"        99 

Portrait — Arthur  Van  Lisle, 

.     ••      131 

American  Flag-. 

Tailpiece 

Matthew   Peters 

A  FOREIGN  IA\MIGRANT. 


LEAVING   FATHERLAND. 

KSTLED  amon^^  the  foothills  of 
the  Vos«jes  mountains  of  western 
Germany  is  the  humble,  quaint 
burgf  of  Ober-Otterbach. 

It  is  romantic  in  its  mountain 
setting-;  its  inhabitants  are  industrious, 
frug-al  and  honorable.  The  cultivation 
of  the  vine  on  the  terraced  hillsides  yields 
scant  return  to  the  tillers  of  the  soil  who 
live  in  this  cloister  of  homes,  around  the 
one  church  and  schoolhouse,  which  for 
the  sake  of  economy  are  used  by  all  creeds 
for  worship  and  instruction. 

What  one  g^eneration  has  done  other 
g-enerations  must  do  who  remain  in  this 
narrow  valley  retreat.  The  mountains 
are  no  surer  barriers  to  the  sea  than  are 
the   scant    resources   of    this    valley    to 


to  S'AATTHEIV  TETERS 

"getting-  on  in  the  world"  beyond  the  ab- 
solute necessities  of  life. 

Emigration  is  the  one  boon  left  to  the 
more  ambitious  and  venturesome  inhab- 
itants of  these  mountain  fastnesses. 

So  Georg-e  and  Mag"daline  Peters  looked 
into  the  eyes  of  the  babes  that  frolicked 
about  the  hearth,  and  with  parental  hope 
of  better  things  for  their  children  than 
they  had  inherited  for  themselves  by  re- 
maining- in  the  fatherland,  they  resolved 
to  make  a  home  in  far-off  America. 

The  Buerg-er-meister's  simple  record 
reads:  "Ober-Otterbach,  1846.  Georg-e 
Peters  and  Mag-daline  Moock  Peters  and 
babies,  America." 

The  inhabitant  still  lives  v/ho  attended 
the  wedding-  of  the  pair,  and  relates  how 
the  little  family  rode  in  a  wagon  a  dis- 
tance of  two  hundred  miles  to  Havre, 
France,  from  which  seaport  they  set  sail, 
landing-  at  New  Orleans  the  same  year. 

Public  records  show  that  a  home  valued 
at  SI,  100  was  held  in  title  of  George  Pe- 
ters when  in  the  summer  of  1853,  seven 
years  after  arrival  in  his  adopted  land, 
the  terrible  scourge  of  yellow  fever  car- 
ried away  the  thrifty  father,  mother  and 
two  children,  leaving  only  Matthew  and 
Samuel,  aged  respectively  ten  and  eight 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  tl 

years,  waifs,  to  be  cared  for  by  the  fitful 
decrees  of  chance  and  charity. 

For  many  \veel<s  the  scourg-e  huny  like 
a  black  pall  over  the  city.  The  only 
sounds  heard  nig-ht  or  day  v/ere  the  ham- 
mers of  the  coffin-makers  and  the  hurry- 
ing- clatter  of  horse's  feet  and  rumbling- 
wheels,  as  the  dead  were  conveyed  with- 
out train  of  mourners  to  their  last  rest- 
ing- place. 

To  be  orphaned  at  any  time  or  under 
any  circumstances  is  a  lot  to  be  dreaded, 
but  at  such  a  time  and  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, God  alone  can  know  the  pity 
of  it. 


12  CMATTHEIV  TETERS 

II. 

THE   STORY   OF   A   WAIF. 

HOUGH  Matthew  was  but  ten 
years  old  he  remembered  how  his 
father,  mother  and  two  sisters 
were  borne  from  their  home,  on 
the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Chip- 
pewa streets  in  New  Orleans,  to  the 
cemetery.  Himself  and  brother  were  not 
permitted  to  attend  the  burial,  as  their 
loved  ones  had  died  of  the  prevailing- 
scourge,  yellow  fever.  So,  orphaned  and 
alone  in  a  great  city,  Matthew  took  his 
younger  brother  by  the  hand,  and  to- 
gether they  sought  food  in  the  alleys 
from  the  refuse  of  barrels  and  buckets  to 
satisfy  their  hunger.  Day  after  day  they 
wandered  hand  in  hand,  uncared  for  and 
unheeded,  falling  asleep  in  any  corner 
away  from  the  feet  of  passers-by.  After 
a  few  days  had  been  thus  spent  they  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  a  policeman  on 
his  beat;  he  took  them  to  an  orphanage 
on  Laurel  and  Jackson  Streets,  where 
they  remained  until  bound  out  to  those 
who  sought  such  unfortunate  waifs  of 
society  as  these  for  servants.  It  fell  to 
Matthew's  lot  to  be  taken  by  a  poverty- 


A  FOT^EIGN  IMMIGRANT 


13 


stricken  German  tailor,   doinji;-  business 
on   Tchoupitoulas   street,   not   far   from 


where  the  stricken  family  had  formerly 
resided.     It  was  not  lonjr  before  Matthew 


14  mATTHElV  TETERS 

discovered  the  true  character  of  his  mas- 
ter, for  he  subjected  him  to  the  most  in- 
human treatment.  Young-  as  he  was  he 
was  compelled  to  sit  cross-leg-g-ed  upon  the 
work-table  and  sew  from  early  morning 
until  late  at  night,  day  in  and  day  out, 
including  Sundays,  with  but  respite  for 
the  scanty  meal  which  he  grudgingly  pro- 
vided. \  This  sensitive  child  was  continu- 
ally reminded  that  he  did  not  earn  his 
salt,  and  for  any  mistake  made  in  the 
work  given  his  childish  hands,  his  master 
would  box  his  ears,  his  blows  frequently 
knocking  him  from  the  table  to  the  floor. 

Sometimes  he  was  compelled  to  procure 
fuel  from  the  drift  in  the  Mississippi 
river,  and  this  he  had  to  do  before  work- 
ing hours.  If  he  was  unsuccessful,  which 
frequently  happened  when  the  river  was 
low  and  the  drift  scarce,  he  would  beat 
him  cruelly,  so  that  he  was  driven  to 
steal  wood  rather  than  take  the  conse- 
quences of  returning  empty-handed. 

The  starvation  which  he  endured  and 
the  abuse  to  which  he  was  subjected 
while  in  charge  of  this  brutal  tailor  are 
beyond  human  belief.  The  world  little 
knows  of  the  privations  and  sufferings 
of  the  orphans  of  our  great  cities  who 
are  so  unfortunate   as   to   fall  into   the 


A  FOREIGN  IMMIGRANT  15 

hands  of  such  cruel  g-uardians.     So  Mat- 
thew became 

A  RUNAWAY  DOY. 

One  winter  evening-,  after  he  had  en- 
dured this  treatment  for  nearly  one  year, 
he  was  ordered  to  do  some  marketing'  on 
the  following-  morning-,  and  was  entrusted 
■with  the  sum  of  fifty  cents  with  which 
to  buy  bread,  meat  and  veg-etables,  and 
after  an  admonition  to  return  to  assume 
his  accustomed  place  on  the  work-table, 
he  was  provided  with  a  basket,  which  he 
took  to  his  cot  in  an  old  outhouse  where 
he  slept  with  the  dog's. 

That  nig-ht  new  and  strang-e  ideas  came 
to  his  childish  brain.  Was  it  the  blood 
of  his  self-respecting-  ancestors  coursing- 
in  his  veins  that  made  him  decide  to 
embrace  this  opportunity  to  make  his 
escape?  Would  it  be  right  to  betray  his 
trust?  What  would  be  the  consequences 
of  such  an  act?  He  strug-g-led  with  his 
conscience.  He  slept  but  little,  for  ill  at 
ease  he  tossed  restlessly.  Before  day- 
break he  took  the  basket  and  money  and 
hurried  away — but  never  to  return. 

The  fear  of  recog^nition  and  of  being- 
returned  to  his  master  made  him  dis- 
trustful  of   any  new  acquaintances  and 


16  m^TTHEV/  TETERS 

haunted  him  nig'ht  and  day.  He  would 
rather  have  died  than  return  to  the  mis- 
erable dwelling"  at  the  tailor's,  and  would 
undoubtedly  have  come  to  a  premature 
death  had  he  been  taken  back. 

He  had  frequently  seen  runaway  ne- 
groes who  were  being-  returned  to  their 
masters  bound  with  cords  and  shackled 
with  irons,  and  he  imag-ined  such  would 
be  his  fate  if  he  were  discovered;  indeed 
he  felt  that  he  was  no  better  than  a  slave 
and  subject  to  the  same  treatment. 

For  nearly  a  year  he  lived  the  life  of  a 
street  g^amin,  picking"  up  a  precarious 
living"  by  earning"  a  few  picayunes,  as 
opportunity  offered,  appeasing  his  hun- 
ger without  begging  and  sleeping  among 
the  bales  of  cotton,  along  the  levee  of  the 
Mississippi  river. 

In  but  a  single  instance,  child  as  he 
was,  did  he  receive  a  kind  word  or  friendly 
recognition  from  any  human  being. 

He  dimly  comprehended  that  there  was 
any  more  of  this  earth  than  the  city  in 
which  his  unfortunate  lot  had  been  cast, 
though  he  had  an  indefinite  and  very 
vague  idea  that  New  Orleans  did  not  em- 
brace the  whole  of  creation,  but  there 
were  lands  and  other  cities  beyond. 


A  FOT{E!GN  IMMIGRANT  17 


HEARS  STRANGE  TALK. 

It  was  a  brig-lit  moonlight  nigiit  in  the 
month  of  iNIarch  when  he  lay  curled  up 
between  two  bales  of  cotton,  hidden  from 
the  view  of  any  wanderers  who  might 
perchance  be  straying-  along-  the  wharf 
where  he  soug-ht  nightly  refuge,  when  he 
overheard  two  slaves  in  conversation, 
who  were,  like  himself,  curled  up  among 
bales  of  cotton. 

"Say,  Sambo,  do  you  know  de  Norf 
Star,  can  you  pick  it  out  up  dar?  You 
know,  ef  we  eber  g-o  Norf,  we  must 
know  de  Norf  Star,  sure!  else,  though 
we  hide  in  de  swamps  and  cross  ribbers 
and  ribbers  and  lose  our  tracks  to  de 
liouns,  we  will  lose  our  way  and  be  cotched 
and  den  Lor-almighty  it  will  be  worse 
for  us  dan  if  we  never  tried  to 'scape." 
"De  Norf  Star  is  de  poor  slave's  hope 
sure,"  was  the  reply,  in  a  half  despondent 
tone  of  the  companion,  who  was  dream- 
ing- of  escape  to  Canada  and  liberty,  from 
this  boasted  land  of  the  free. 

"No,  I  do  not  know  which  of  dem  aw- 
ful many  stars  is  the  single  Norf  Star, 
dat  ebery  runaway  nigfgah  must  know 
'fore  he  puts  out."  "I  thought  I  knowed, 
but  Massa  asked  me  not  long-   ago  ef   I 


18  ^vlATTHElV  TETERS 

knowed  de  Norf  Star  and  I  told  him  I  did. 
I  pinted  it  out  to  him,  and  he  laf  and  laf 
and  said:  "You  fool  nig"g"ali,  you  all 
"wrong",  dat  am  Jupeter  or  somefing"  like 
dat  name."  "So  I  must  ask  some  of  dese 
fellers  who  comes  for  cotton  from  the 
Norf,  to  pint  him  out  foh  me,  or  I  git  loss 
some  dese  line  nights,  ha!  ha!" 

"But  Massa  say  dat  to  fool  you,  you 
fool  nig-gah,"  replied  Sambo,  with  a  low 
chuckle.  "No  Massa  wants  his  nig"g"ah 
to  know  de  Norf  Star,  indeed  dey  don't, 
for  dey  feared  you  g"et  de  white  of  you 
eye  on  it  and  never  let  g"o  til  you  am  free, 
and  dey  g^ot  one  nig^gah  less,  ha!  ha!" 

"Well,  I  will  ask  one  of  dose  fellers 
what  runs  on  de  Under  Groun  Railroad 
up  Norf,  when  I  think  I  am  right  in 
s'lecting"  him  out  of  de  crowd.  But  we  be 
mighty  keerful,  er  we'll  ask  one  of  dose 
nigg'ah  'tectives,  den,  Lor-almighty,  there 
will  be  no  need  of  knowing  de  Norf  Star." 

As  Matthew  overheard  this  strang-e 
conversation  his  heart  went  out  to  the 
poor  slaves,  who  like  himself,  soug-ht 
liberty  from  cruel  bondage.  He  learned 
from  this  simple  talk  that  there  was  a 
country  beyond  New  Orleans,  a  better 
place  for  runaway  orphan  boys  and  black 
slaves. 


A  FOTiElCN  IMMIGRANT  19 

With  this  new  light  he  fell  asleep  and 
dreamed  a  dream  born  of  hope  in  place 
of  despair. 

MEETS  A  FRIEND. 

The  next  morning-  while  loitering-  about 
the  levee  near  the  foot  of  Canal  street, 
watching-  a  chance  to  pick  up  something 
which  mig-ht  bring  him  a  picayune  or 
perhaps  food  for  his  stomach,  he  no- 
ticed a  passing-  dra}'  which  was  followed 
by  a  man.  By  intuition  he  felt  this  man 
was  a  stranger  to  that  locality.  He  had 
a  singular  manner  and  an  odd  appear- 
ance which  attracted  his  attention.  The 
dray  stopped  and  its  driver  began  to 
unload  the  contents  upon  the  levee;  a  few 
peach  sprouts  of  choice  variety,  some 
young-  magnolia  trees,  a  box  or  two  of 
oranges  and  bananas  and  a  large  stuffed 
carpet  bag.  This  work  done,  the  stranger 
paid  the  drayman  and  the  latter  drove 
awa}'. 

Alone  among-  his  goods  the  strang-er 
gazed  about  him  for  a  moment,  and  no- 
ticing- Matthew  asked  if  he  would  g-uard 
the  things  for  a  little  while  as  he  wished 
to  go  back  into  tlie  city  for  an  hour.  On 
his  return  he  handed  the  boy  a  trifle  and 
thanked  him  besides. 


20  CMATTHEIV  TETERS 

Though  kind  words  are  so  easily  coined, 
leaving-  no  one  the  poorer  for  speaking 
them,  but  enriching  those  to  whom 
spoken,  his  thanks  were  something  quite 
new  to  the  waif.  This  man  was  so  cour- 
teous, so  gentle,  so  different  from  any 
person  Matthew  had  before  encountered 
that  he  was  instantly  and  involuntarily 
attracted  toward  him,  and  he  cheerfully 
assisted  in  carrying  the  goods  on  board 
the  boat.  While  he  shunned  and  dis- 
trusted men  generally,  this  stranger  at 
once  commanded  his  profound  respect, 
for  he  both  spoke  to  and  treated  him  with 
kindness. 

The  goods  having  been  stowed  upon 
the  boat,  the  stranger  followed  the  lad 
to  the  levee  and  eng-aged  him  in  conver- 
sation. He  inquired  his  name,  where 
and  how  he  lived,  and  asked  other  ques- 
tions pertaining  to  his  welfare. 

Matthew  told  his  story  frankly,  but  he 
dared  not  tell  it  all.  Indeed  he  never  did 
tell  him  all.  He  did  not  tell  him  he  was 
a  runaway,  but  merely  said  his  people 
were  all  dead  and  he  had  no  home.  He 
told  the  stranger  that  he  lived  upon  what 
he  could  find  in  the  streets  and  that  his 
lodging  place  was  among  the  cotton 
bales.      The   stranger  looked  with   pity 


A  FOT{ElGN  IMMIGRANT  21 

upon  the  child  and  expressed  his  sym- 
pathy in  words  of  tenderness.  He  told 
him  his  home  wns  up  north  in  Ohio, 
where  apples,  peaches  and  crapes  g-rew; 
that  he  liad  a  <;-ood  old  mother  with  whom 
Jie  lived;  that  his  people  were  all  kind  to 
children,  and  that  if  he  would  accompany 
him  he  would  take  care  of  him.  send  him 
to  school,  and  when  he  became  old  enou<;ii 
teach  him  a  trade;  that  his  mother  had 
already  raised  two  orphan  boys  and 
would  be  g-lad  to  furnish  him  a  home  and 
help  him  to  become  a  self-respectinj,'". 
g'ood  man. 

All  this  sounded  very  pleasant  and  was 
indeed  clieerin<^,  but  althouj^ii  the  offer 
was  temptin<^  Matthew  had  suiTered  too 
much  to  incur  any  risks  by  surrendering" 
his  freedom;  precarious  as  was  his  condi- 
tion he  was  still  suspicious  and  conse- 
quently very  cautious.  Hence  he  would 
not  commit  himself,  made  no  promise, 
and  gave  no  hope  of  accompanying"  his 
would-be  benefactor. 

It  so  happened  that  the  cook  of  the 
steamboat  "Gladenel,"  upon  which  this 
stranger  had  engaged  passage  wanted  a 
boy  helper,  and  Matthew  ag"reed  to  take 
the  situation.  In  after  years  our  hero 
wondered  man}'  times  whether  this  was 


22  aUTTHElV  TETERS 

not  a  strateg^em  of  the  stranger  in  collu- 
sion with  the  cook  to  secure  his  presence 
and  passay"e  on  that  boat.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  he  was  induced  to  accept  the  posi- 
tion for  reasons  of  his  own. 

Matthew  had  heard  the  tailor  speak  of 
an  aunt  living'  up  North,  either  at  Louis- 
ville or  St.  Louis,  he  could  not  remember 
which,  and  it  mattered  little  to  him,  as 
then  he  supposed  he  could  step  from  one 
city  into  the  other. 

He  was  not  certain  as  to  her  name  but 
thoug-ht  it  was  Louise,  his  father's  sister; 
whether  she  was  married  or  sing'le  he 
did  not  know;  in  fact  that  question  did 
not  occur  to  him  then.  But  he  desired  to 
find  this  aunt  and  ask  her  protection, 
feeling-  that  he  had  a  claim  upon  her  as 
a  relative;  perhaps  she  would  take  pity 
upon  him  for  her  brother's  sake,  his 
father.  And  ag-ain,  the  fact  that  this 
kind  g-entleman,  so  considerate  of  his 
welfare,  was  to  be  a  passeng-er  upon  the 
boat  exerted  its  influence  upon  him,  for 
he  reasoned  that  inasmuch  as  he  was 
leaving-  the  city,  it  certainly  could  not  be 
that  he  was  trying-  to  entrap  and  deceive 
him  with  the  view  of  restoring-  him  to 
his  cruel  (guardian. 

The   boat   left   New   Orleans  early  in 


A  FOI^EIGN  IMMIGRANT  23 

March  and  the  twain  reached  Cincinnati 
about  the  middle  of  the  month.  On  the 
way  up  the  river  INIatthew  watched  the 
strang-er  closely-  He  seemed  to  have  no 
special  acquaintances  on  board;  he  did 
not  fraternize  with  the  crowd,  yet  he 
appeared  to  be  g-enial  and  would  occas- 
sionally  eng'ag"e  in  conversation  with 
others,  but  not  with  that  freedom  which 
distinguished  old  friends.  There  was 
sometliinji;'  still  more  noticeable  in  his  con- 
duct than  this  apparent  reticence.  The 
boy  noticed  that  tlie  steamer  would  stop 
occasionally,  and  in  such  instances  al- 
ways at  niylit  in  out-of-the-way  places 
where  nothing  but  great  forests  and  hug-e 
ricks  of  cordwood  were  visible.  Here  the 
neg"ro  deck  hands  would  throw  out  the 
g-angf-plank  and  hurry  ashore  to  bring- 
wood  aboard.  He  noticed  two  or  three 
white  men  at  the  dreary  landings,  but 
what  especially  attracted  his  attention 
was  that  his  friend,  the  stranger,  would 
always  go  ashore  and  after  a  hasty  greet- 
ing- eng-age  in  animated  conversation 
with  them  until  the  whistle  sounded,  and 
he  would  part  with  them  as  hastily  as  he 
had  gone.  Not  only  did  this  occur  at 
every  one  of  the  wood-landings  they 
touched,   but    whenever  the  boat  hauled 


24  i?/UTTHElV  TETERS 

up  at  a  city  there  were  always  those  who 
would  rush  aboard  to  see  him  or  else  he 
would  hasten  ashore  to  meet  them.  This 
very  naturally  excited  the  waif's  curiosity 
so  on  one  occasion  he  plucked  up  cour- 
ag-e  and  ventured  to  ask  him  who  were 
those  g-entlemen  who  appeared  so  g"lad 
to  see  him.  His  answer  was  given  with- 
out the  least  hesitation  and  with  ap- 
parent candor. 

"Why,"  said  he,  "that  old  g^entleman 
with  the  g'ray  whiskers  is  Mr.  Paul,  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  the  young-  man  with 
him  is  his  son.  They  are  friends  of  mine 
who  came  South  on  business  just  as  I 
did." 

Finally  the  boat  arrived  at  Louisville 
and  remained  some  time  discharging-  part 
of  her  carg-o  and  reloading-.  Matthew's 
heart  was  in  a  flutter.  Here  was  Louis- 
ville, where  he  had  hoped  to  find  his  aunt. 
What  should  he  do?  Land  and  hunt  her 
up,  or  remain  on  board  the  steamer? 
His  mind  was  troubled  and  undecided, 
but  he  must  decide  quickly,  for  he  had 
hesitated  too  long  and  the  pilot  was 
"ringing  off."  At  the  last  moment  he 
decided  to  g-o  ashore  and  take  the  chances 
of  finding  his  aunt,  for  why,  he  arg^ued, 
should  he  follow  the  fortunes  of  an  un- 


A  F0%EIGN  IMMIGRANT  25 

known  man  who,  if  he  were  once  in  his 
power,  might  prove  no  better  than  the 
tailor? 

Just  as  he  was  about  to  step  on  the 
g'ang'-plank  his  friend,  who  happened  to 
be  near,  stepped  up  and  inquired  if  he 
intended  to  leave  the  boat.  He  told  him 
he  did,  for  he  felt  that  he  must  fortify 
himself  ag^ainst  the  influence  the  new- 
found friend  had  over  him.  His  friend 
was  not  to  be  repulsed  by  any  show  of 
determination,  but  calmly  asked  liim 
what  he  expected  to  do.  Matthew  was 
greatly  embarrassed  and  hestitatingly 
answered  that  he  hoped  to  find  his  aunt. 

"Do  you  know  her  name?"  he  inquired. 

"Yes,  sir;  her  name  is  Louise." 

"But  what  is  her  other  name?" 

"I  don't  know,  sir,"  Matthew  said  dep- 
recatingly. 

He  then  told  him  of  the  difliculties  and 
dangers  he  would  encounter  in  discover- 
ing his  aunt  under  such  circumstances, 
and  said: 

"What  will  you  do  if  3'ou  don't  find 
her?" 

Matthew  hung  his  head  and  thought- 
fully replied  tliat  he  could  live  as  he  had 
done  in  New  Orleans — sleep  among  boxes, 
bales  and  sacks,  or  in  some  outhouse. 


26  (TAA  TTHE  W  TE  TERS 

A  look  of  pity  overspread  the  strang-- 
er's  face;  he  seemed,  and  in  reality 
was,  reluctant  to  part  with  the  boy  and 
brought  into  play  all  his  persuasive 
power  to  induce  him  to  remain  with  him; 
promised  that  he  would  endeavor  to  find 
his  aunt  after  they  reached  his  home; 
said  that  he  would  g^ladly  stay  with  him 
in  Louisville  and  assist  him  in  his  search 
but  that  his  business  was  of  such  a  nature 
and  so  important  that  he  could  not  leave 
the  boat  until  it  reached  its  destination. 
Ag"ain  he  repeated  his  story  about  his 
good  old  mother,  the  attractions  of  his 
home  in  Ohio,  and  of  the  advantages  he 
would  afford  the  boy  if  he  would  continue 
on  his  journey  with  him. 

But  he  fortified  himself  against  all 
these  allurements  and  only  became  more 
resolute  under  these  enticing  promises, 
for  his  suspicions  became  deeper  as  his 
friend  manifested  interest  in  him.  Why 
should  this  stranger  care  for  him  except 
for  some  sinister  motive?  So  he  rea- 
soned to  himself. 

Seeing  Matthew's  determination  not  to 
be  persuaded  he  finally  asked: 

"Have  you  any  money?" 

"No,  sir,"  he  replied. 

The    stranger    nervously    pushed  his 


A  FO%EIGN  IMMICRANl  27 

hand  into  his  pocket,  drew  out  his  wallet 
and  took  from  it  a  five  dollar  bill  and 
offered  it  to  the  lad. 

His  action  was  spontaneous  and  so  un- 
expected, that  it  completely  overwhelmed 
the  boy.  He  had  never  experienced  any- 
thing" like  it  and  never  before  heard  of 
such  disinterested  generosity.  Instantly, 
as  if  by  supernatural  power,  liis  whole  dis- 
position and  nature  were  changed.  Here 
was  convincing  proof  that  he  had  no  pur- 
pose to  detain  the  boy  against  his  will. 
His  resolution  was  broken,  and  his  sus- 
picions allayed  by  the  power  of  love. 

Matthew  looked  into  his  friend's  face 
for  a  moment,  as  if  to  assure  himself  of 
his  motives,  and  he  felt  reconciled,  for  the 
time  at  least.  He  could  not  take  the 
money  but  he  did  resign  himself  into  his 
hands  und  promised  to  follow  him. 

The  gang-plank  was  hauled  in,  the 
boat  backed  out  into  the  stream,  and 
forged  her  way  up  the  river.  Cincinnati 
was  reached  the  folknving  Sunday  morn- 
ing", Matthew  heard  the  chimes  of  the 
church  bells,  but  naught  else. 

No  sooner  had  tiiey  touched  the  land- 
ing" than  the  would-be  benefactor  was 
met  by  a  gentleman:  the  two  walked  up 
the  street   and  were  soon  lost  to  sight. 


28  iMATTHElV  TETERS 

They  were  g-one  several  hours,  during 
which  time  the  boy  remained  aboard. 
When  his  friend  returned  he  requested 
Matthew  to  accompany  him.  He  endea- 
vored to  interest  him  by  pointing-  out  the 
principal  buildiug-s,  explaining- their  uses, 
and  among-  others  he  drew  his  attention 
to  the  water-works,  whose  g-reat  eng-ines 
were  to  him  a  source  of  admiration  and 
wonde^,  ^ 

It  being-  Sunday  no  trains  left  until 
evening-,  hence  the  opportunity  afforded 
for  siglat-seeing-  during-  the  day.  But  his 
friend  was  exceeding-ly  anxious  to  reach 
his  home,  which  locally  was  known  as 
The  Ridg-e,  and  was  near  Spring-field. 
He  told  Matthew  that  he  would  take  him 
to  his  mother  as  soon  as  possible,  but 
that  he  would  be  oblig-ed  to  leave  him 
alone  with  her  for  a  few  days,  as  he  was 
compelled  to  return  to  Cincinnati;  that 
he  would  be  back,  however,  in  the  course 
of  a  week  or  two  to  stay. 

It  was  quite  late  in  the  day  when  they 
boarded  the  Little  Miami  train,  and  it 
was  near  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening- 
when  they  reached  Selma,  a  small  sta- 
tion about  six  or  seven  miles  from  their 
destination.  This  distance  they  walked, 
up  hill    and   down,    between  fields  and 


/I  FOTiEIGN  IMMlGRyINT  29 

forests.  The  experience  was  one  never 
forg'otten  by  the  waif.  The  nig-ht  was 
as  black  as  pitch  and  quiet  as  tlie  dead. 
Occasionally  the  lij^iit  from  some  farm 
house  shone  in  the  distance,  but  it  was  a 
mystery  to  him  and  seemed  i^fhastly  in 
the  darkness  of  night.  Not  a  soul  was 
encountered  on  the  way.  Matthew  had 
never  seen  a  hill,  unless  the  bluffy  heights 
sometimes  noticed  along-  the  INIississippi 
mig-ht  be  so  called.  He  had  never  been 
in  the  woods,  and  how  he  wished  he  was 
out  now!  Everything-  seemed  wild  and 
weird. 

His  sensations  were  indescribable,  his 
mind  was  filled  with  fearful  foreboding-s 
and  terrifying-  fancies.  He  hud  read  (for 
he  could  read)  a  German  story  about 
"Schinderhannes,"  the  notorious  robber 
chief  of  the  Rhine,  who  dwelt  in  moun- 
tains, from  which  he  would  make  incur- 
sions upon  the  wealthy,  whom  he  plun- 
dered for  the  benefit  of  the  poor.  It  was 
the  only  story  he  had  ever  read.  Was  it 
possible  that,  notwithstanding-  his  great 
precaution,  he  had  been  deceived  and 
lured  by  the  seductive  wiles  of  a  robber 
chieftain  to  be  initiated  into  his  baud  of 
outlaws?  These  were  surely  the  secret 
haunts   of   the   lawless    where   vice   and 


30  SVIATTHEM/  TETERS 

crime  revel  in  their  solitude.  If  it  were 
so,  so  be  it;  he  must  submit,  for  a  time 
at  least,  and  make  the  best  of  his  help- 
less condition,  endeavoring-  to  escape  at 
the  earliest  opportunity.  He  followed 
on  in  doubt  and  fear,  resolved  to  meet 
his  fate,  come  what  might,  with  forti- 
tude. It  was  a  trying-  ordeal  for  a  boy  of 
twelve  years  of  ag-e,  and  his  whole  frame 
quaked  with  terror! 

At  last  the  twain  reached  the  house. 
It  was  a  plain  two-story  building",  the 
same  that  Schinderhanues  built,  set  back 
from  the  highway.  On  its  eastern  side 
and  near  the  road  stood  a  large  square 
log  house  which  he  afterwards  ascer- 
tained to  be  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  be- 
fore it,  grew  a  majestic  oak  tree. 

There  was  no  light,  no  sound;  all  was 
dark  and  quiet  about  the  premises.  The 
escort,  whom  Matthew  had  first  viewed 
as  a  benefactor  but  now  as  a  highway- 
man, knocked  at  the  door,  which  in  a  few 
moments  was  opened  by  a  short,  stout, 
gray-haired  old  lady,  who  had  a  lighted 
tallow  dip  in  her  hand.  There  was  an 
affectionate  greeting,  but  he  was  in  no 
condition  to  appreciate  such  demonstra- 
tion of  filial  love  as  he  then  witnessed. 
He  could  only  see  the  venerable  old  dame, 


A  FOliElGN  IMMIGRANT  3l 

who,  to  his  inexperienced  and  distrustful 
eyes,  was  none  other  than  the  embodi- 
ment of  the  "old  hag"  who  kept  house 
for  Schinderhanucs.  He  was  certainl}' 
lost.  In  this  conviction  he  was  then  fully 
confirmed,  and  doubly  so  upon  the  ap- 
pearance of  another  still  older  lady,  so 
large  and  clumsy  that  she  could  scarcely 
limp  across  the  room  with  the  aid  of  two 
rude  walking-  sticks. 

The  first  old  lady  was  "Mother,"  the 
second  "Aunt  Mabel."  As  such  they 
were  introduced  to  him.  Mother  offered 
them  something-  to  eat,  but  he  could 
eat  nothing-,  though  he  was  ravenously 
hung-ry  after  the  long-  journey.  He  was 
shown  to  his  bed  up  stairs,  but  he  could 
not  sleep,  weary  though  he  was.  He 
wept  away  the  remaining-  hours  of  the 
night. 

The  next  morning  he  found  his  way 
down  stairs,  and  went  out  doors  to  get  a 
view  of  the  country.  Terror  seized  him. 
Instead  of  the  road  with  its  zigzag-  rail 
fences  on  either  side  and  the  log-  house 
which  he  had  observed  the  night  before 
as  he  entered  the  house  he  only  saw  a 
barn  and  sheds  with  open  fields  and 
woods  beyond.  He  was  bewildered  and 
trembled  with  frig-ht.      His  heart  sank 


32  0\4/ITTHEiy  TETERS 

within  him  and  he  was  in  despair.  He 
was  sick.  By  what  manner  of  sorcery 
had  these  wicked  people  transported  him 
during"  the  night  to  sucli  a  scene  as  this! 
He  became  weak  and  faint,  and  it  re- 
quired all  the  courag-e  and  fortitude  he 
could  command  to  restrain  his  pent-up 
emotions.     Surely  he  had  not  slept. 

The  mental  strain  under  which  he  had 
labored  caused  him  to  be  "turned  round." 
He  had  gone  out  through  the  back  door 
instead  of  by  the  front  where  he  had 
entered! 

It  was  not  long  before  the  entire  neigh- 
borhood was  aware  that  Henry  Roberts, 
for  this  was  the  benefactor's  name,  had 
returned  from  the  South  and  that  he  had 
brought  with  him  a  little  orphan  boy. 
Many  were  the  callers,  each  of  whom 
eyed' the  little  waif  with  an  interest  and 
intensity  which  was  only  exceeded  by  his 
own  curiosity  and  embarrassment.  On 
that  same  day  Henry  Roberts  left  for 
Cincinnati,  and  Matthew  remained  with 
Mother  and  Aunt  Mabel.  Again  he  was 
among  entire  strangers.  How  he  wept 
at  his  departure;  his  grief  could  have 
been  no  greater  had  he  stood  beside  the 
grave  of  his  best  beloved  friend.  V/hat 
mattered  it  even  though  he  had  gone  to 


A  FOTiEIGf^  IMMIGRAhIT  33 

join  his  companions  in  crime?  Be  lie 
thief  or  g^entleman,  Matthew  had  con- 
fided and  trusted  in  him  and  he  was  his, 
at  least  until  he  t-ould  effect  his  escape 
and  improve  his  condition.  To  fall  again 
into  stranj^'-e  hands  seemed  to  him  a  g'en- 
uine  calamity.  "Whether  his  promise  to 
return  soon  would  be  realized  Matthew 
seriously  questioned,  for  confidence  in 
mankind  was  almost  foreign  to  his 
feeling's. 

Day  after  day  passed  by.  What  days 
of  ang-uish  they  were;  what  sleepless 
nig-hts  for  Matthew,  g-rieving-  for  his  de- 
parted friend.  Be  he  Schinderhannes  or 
not,  had  he  not  been  uniformly  kind  to 
him? 

By  deg-rees  he  became  acquainted  with 
the  children  of  the  vicinity  and  entered 
into  their  sports.  Nothing  had  harmed 
him,  and  mother,  for  he  had  learned  to 
call  her  so,  exercised  peculiar  tact  in 
winning-  his  confidence.  in  the  mean- 
time, too,  the  small  bundles  of  mag- 
nolia and  peach  trees  and  boxes  of 
orang-es  had  arrived.  He  had  almost 
forg-otten  about  these,  but  as  once  more 
he  saw  them  how  vividly  they  recalled 
the  scene  at  the  levee  where  he  first  met 
the  kind  stranger.   A  friend  transplanted 


34  m/lTTHElV  TETERS 

the  trees  for  mother,  and  the  contents  of 
the  boxes  were  shared  among"  the 
neig"hbors. 

Gradually  and  unconsciously  Mat- 
thew's misgiving's  faded  away.  He 
neither  saw  nor  heard  anything-  of  rob- 
bers; experienced  only  the  utmost  kind- 
ness and  heard  nothing-  but  g-entle  words. 

At  last  Mr.  Roberts  returned,  and  with 
his  return,  in  spite  of  all  the  kindness 
Matthew  had  experienced  during-  his 
absence — in  defiance  of  all  the  resist- 
ance he  could  muster,  the  horrors  of 
the  past  were  rekindled,  and  burned 
within  him  like  a  consuming-  fire  from 
which  he  could  not  flee.  Ag-ain  all  his 
terrifying-  suspicions  were  fanned  into 
a  flame.  He  had  not  yet  thoroug-hly 
overcome  his  gloomy  impressions,  formed 
as  he  came  through  the  dark  and  de- 
serted country  from  Selma  to  the  Ridge, 
that  his  professed  benefactor  was  a 
veritable  Schinderhannes. 

What  had  he  been  doing  during  his 
absence?  In  answer  to  this  question 
Matthew  was  informed  that  he  had  been 
to  Canada;  and  in  answer  to  his  further 
inquiries  was  told  that  he  must  wait 
until  he  was  older  before  he  could  under- 
stand  the   business   in   which  his  bene- 


A  FOn{ElGN  IMMIGRANT  35 

factor  was  eng-aged.  This  evasive  an- 
swer did  not  lull  his  suspicions  nor 
relieve  his  anxiety;  on  the  contrary  it 
only  heig-htened  rather  than  alla3^ed  his 
fears.  Was  he  only  to  wait  until  he 
was  older  that  he  mig-ht  then  be  initiated 
into  their  unhallowed  mysteries? 


36 


S'yJ/ITTHEV/  TETERS 


III. 

A  SLAVE  auctio:n. 

ARIvY  in  the  spring-  of  1853 
Henry  Roberts  stood  before  a 
Kentucky  slave  auction  block. 
He  had  mingled  with  the  throng- 
of  swag-g'ering-,  tobacco-chewing-, 
profane  men,  who  gathered  about  await- 
ing the  pleasure  of  the  auctioneer. 

The  hour  for  business  had  arrived 
when  a  large,  finely  formed  and  muscular 
black  man  walked  up  on  the  block,  so 
high  as  to  exhibit  its  occupant  from  head 
to  foot. 

The  man  was  stripped  to  the  waist, 
when  he  fell  limp  before  the  gazing 
crowd. 

"Stand  up  there  you  black  rascal  and 
show  your  muscle,"  ordered  the  slave 
driver  as  he  cracked  his  cat-o-nine-tails 
and  accompanied  the  act  with  an  oath. 
The  slave  obeyed,  mechanically,  and  was 
soon  sold  to  the  highest  bidder.  Next 
came  the  little  daughter,  eight  years  of 
age,  who  was  soon  in  the  possession  of 
another  highest  bidder.  Next  came  the 
mother  with  babe  in  arms. 

As  the  auctioneer  reached  to  take  the 


A  F0%EICN  IMMIGRANT  37 

babe  to  display  it  to  the  "trade,"  the 
mother  folded  her  arms  closely  around  its 
tiny  body,  and  with  tears  streaming- 
down  her  black  cheeks,  cried  out  in  the 
an<j-uisli  of  her  mother-love: 

"Sell  the  baby  with  me,  please,  sir;  it 
is  too  small  to  work;  I  can  care  for  it 
better  than  anybody  else;  sell  it  with 
me;  you  have  sold  my  husband;  you  have 
sold  my  daughter,  please,  sir,  sell  my 
my  baby  with  me." 

Untouched  by  this  piteous  appeal — for 
men  seldom  rise  superior  to  the  written 
law — the  law-nerved  man  g^rasped  the 
helpless  infant  from  the  embrace  of  the 
mother  and  called  in  stentorian  voice: 

"Who  bids  iiftv  dollars  for  this  black 
brat?" 

"Toss  the  pickininny  here"  said  a  man 
of  low  brow  and  vulg-ar  mien,  "I'll  give 
the  fifty  dollars."  Suiting-  the  action  to 
the  command  the  babe  was  caught  by 
the  hands  of  its  new  master  from  the 
willing-  hands  of  the  auctioneer. 

In  a  few  moments  the  mother  was  sold 
to  another  bidder  and  the  sundered  fam- 
ily went  each  their  way  under  the  in- 
human institution  of  chattel  slavery. 

The  soul  of  Henry  Roberts  rose  in 
indig-natiou  as  he  witnessed  the  helpless 


38  mATTHElV  TETERS 

victims  in  the  grasp  of  the  law  that 
gave  protection  and  made  such  a  scene 
possible. 

He  turned  to  the  slave-accustomed 
crowd  and  at  the  peril  of  being  mobbed 
for  his  indiscretion  he  exclaimed: 

"What  right  have  you  to  sell  that 
father,  mother,  sister,  babe,  more  than 
you  have  to  invade  my  home  and  sell  my 
loved  ones,  and  separate  my  family;  they 
were  born  black,  we  were  born  white, 
neither  are  responsible  for  our  color,  and 
God  knows  that  this  accursed  institution 
of  human  slavery  shall  have  the  remainder 
of  my  days  for  its  overthrow  and  destruc- 
tion." This  outburst  of  indignation  met 
with  jeers,  low  mutterings  and  profane 
oaths.  "O!  maybe  yer'e  a  niggah  thief," 
said  the  auctioneer,  "if  so,  yer  bettah  be 
gitten  out  of  these  parts  pretty  quick," 
following  his  words  with  a  sharp  crack 
of  his  whip. 

The  soul  of  Henry  Roberts  revolted 
as  he  contemplated  this  iniquity  and  he 
went  from  this  scene  an  Abolitionist. 


/I  F0T{E1GN  IMMIGRANT  39 

IV. 

THE   U.  G.  R.  R. 

N  these  days  there  existed  an  or- 
g"anization  within  the  ranks  of  the 
despised  Abolition  party  of  the 
Northern  states,  composed  of  un- 
popular, not  powerful  but  neverthe- 
less resolute,  conscientious  and  self-sac- 
rificing' men;  a  clan  whose  history  has 
never  been  written,  but  whose  labors 
sought  not  self  glory  or  the  applause  of 
men,  but  merely  the  approval  of  con- 
science. To  this  cause  they  pledged  their 
faith,  their  fortunes  and  their  lives. 

From  the  nature  of  the  organization, 
which  was  a  profound  secret,  the  mem- 
bership was  unknown,  and  remains  so 
to-day,  but  their  acts  exerted  a  wide  in- 
fluence and  made  a  deep  impression  on 
the  public  mind  throughout  the  country 
on  behalf  of  the  abolition  of  human 
slavery. 

Composed  as  this  organization  was  of 
men  of  recognized  ability,  of  unquestion- 
able nerve  and  courage,  imbued  with  the 
loftiest  motives,  it  seems  remarkable  in- 
deed that  no  record  of  their  achievements 
has  ever  seen  the  li"iit.    Tradition  is  the 


40  {MA  TTHEll^  TETERS 

only  source  from  which  the  present  g"en- 
eration  can  obtain  any  details  regarding- 
the  heroic  work  of  these  men,  forming  a 
body  that  in  its  day  was  popularly 
termed  the  U.  G.  R.  R.— The  Under 
Ground  Rail  Road.  This  organization 
held  the  same  relation  to  the  Abolition 
party  that  an  army  holds  to  the  govern- 
ment it  represents.  It  was  the  aggres- 
sive, indomitable  and  irrepressible  ele- 
ment within  that  party,  ever  ready  to 
make  sacrifices — even  to  life — in  advocat- 
ing, promulgating,  defending  and  en- 
forcing its  doctrines  and  decrees. 

At  the  head  of  this  peculiar  railroad 
system  stood  William  Llovd  Garrison, 
Wendell  Phillips,  Elizabeth  Cady  Stan- 
ten,  Ivucretia  Mott,  Gerritt  Smith  and 
others  of  equal  distinction. 

So  Henry  Roberts,  inspired  by  the 
scene  of  the  auction  block,  allied  himself 
with  these  and  many  other  men  and  wo- 
men, who  like  him,  were  engaged  in  con- 
tinual agitation  and  warfare  against  the 
curse  of  human  slavery, — philanthropists 
who  loved  their  unfortunate  fellow-men, 
colored  as  well  as  white — patriots  who 
dearly  loved  their  country,  yet  dared  to 
denounce  the  "flaunting  lie"  which  con- 
tinued to  wave 


A  FOT^EIGN  IMMIGRANT  41 

"O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave," 

until  the  stain  upon  the  Nation's  stand- 
ard was  cleansed  by  the  blood  of  more 
than  a  million  of  her  sons,  North  and 
South,  who  g-ave  their  lives  on  the  field 
of  battle. 

Thus  Henry  Roberts  quitted  the  loj^ 
blacksmith  shop  which  stood  under  the 
shadow  of  the  g-reat  oak,  and  fraternized 
with  leading-  abolitionists;  he  g^ave  his 
money,  his  time  and  his  talents  to  the 
cause  of  human  liberty. 

The  work  of  merely  assisting-  an  oc- 
casional fugitive  who  sought  a  way  to 
the  door  of  his  blacksmith  shop  did  not 
satisfy  his  conscience.  He  felt  that  he 
must  g-o  among  the  oppressed  and  pro- 
claim to  them  the  g^ospel  of  freedom  on 
the  plantations  of  the  South  and  rescue 
all  he  could.    It  may  be  truly  said  of  him: 

"The  dark  hued  son,  in  ngc  pursued 
By  slavery's  minions  lash  in  hand. 

Who  sou^'ht  protection,  rest  ami  food, 
Within  his  cottajje  found  a  friend 

With  moral  coura^je  to  defend 

Ajcainst  the  powers  of  the  land." 

He  exposed  himself  to  all  the  hazards 
incurred  by  the  fearless,  indomitable 
ag-ents  of  the  U.  G.  R.  R.  who  penetrated 
the  very  homes  of  the  slaves  that  they 
mijrht   hurl   more  effective  blows  at  the 


42  m^TTHElV  TETERS 

barbarous  institution  of  human  slavery 
and  thus  give  potency  to  their  principles. 

His  mysterious  acquaintances  whom 
he  so  heartily  greeted  at  the  wood-land- 
ings and  those  whom  he  met  at  the 
levees  or  wharves  of  every  town  where 
the  boat  stopped  along  the  Mississippi 
were  the  emissaries  of  the  Northern  ab- 
olitionists, agents  of  the  U.  G.  R.  R., 
who   were    co-operating    in    his    labors. 

Before  the  war  it  was  the  custom  for 
steamers  on  the  lower  Mississippi  to  use 
cordwood  for  fuel.  Great  forests  of  tim- 
ber lined  the  banks  of  the  river.  Wood 
was  plenty  and  consequently  cheap. 
Northerners  would  go  South  and  take 
contracts  for  supplying  certain  boats 
with  wood  at  agreed  points  along  the 
river.  They  would  fell  the  timber,  cut  it 
into  proper  lengths  and  deliver  it  at  the 
water's  edge  at  some  convenient  landing 
where  it  would  be  of  easy  access.  At 
several  of  these  points  the  contractors 
were  agents  of  the  U.  G.  R.  R.  in  dis- 
guise, and  were  there  not  so  much  for 
the  money  to  be  made  by  cutting  cord- 
wood  for  the  steamboats  as  for  the  more 
important  and  nobler  purpose  of  co-op- 
erating with  their  friends  along  the  line, 
and  with  other  agents  who  were  engaged 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  43 

in  the  interior  in  quite  a  different  ca- 
pacity. 

These  other  agents  were  also  men 
from  the  North  who  went  out  on  the 
plantations  to  perform  their  part  in  the 
programme;  they  soug'ht  employment  as 
overseers,  superintendents  or  boss  me- 
chanics to  take  charge  of  the  work  shops 
on  the  larg-e  plantations,  for  nearly  every 
plantation  of  any  consequence  had  its 
own  blacksmith  and  carpenter  shops  and 
repair  houses.  In  these  were  employed 
the  most  intelligent  slaves. 

Frequently  there  was  building-  to  be 
done  on  the  premises.  In  such  cases 
lumber  was  to  be  prepared,  and  some 
plantations  had  mills  where  the  planter's 
own  timber  was  sawed,  also  lumber  to 
supply  their  neig-hbors;  or  if  bricks 
were  required  it  was  these  slaves  who 
would  supply  the  demand.  But  this 
class  of  work  was  all  performed  under  a 
special  overseer  or  superintendent.  It 
was  in  this  capacity  that  Henry  Roberts 
was  eng^ag-ed. 

Among-  the  black  mechanics  were  found 
the  most  reliable  slaves  on  the  planta- 
tion. It  required  more  intellig-ence  and 
tact  to  perform  this  class  of  labor  than 
it  did  to  be  a  common  field  hand  or  plan- 


44  S^ATTHEIV  TETERS 

tation  "nig-^er,"  and  hence  the  most 
trustworthy  and  brightest  slaves  were  se- 
lected for  this  work.  Such  as  these  were 
comparatively  few  on  any  plantation,  for 
their  general  condition  of  ignorance  and 
degradation  did  not  tend  to  develop 
either  the  mental  or  moral  faculties  with- 
in them.  Indeed  such  development  was 
undesirable,  for  intelligent  men  will  not 
submit  to  bondage. 

It  was  with  this  class  of  more  enterpris- 
ing negroes  that  Mr.  Roberts  came  into 
contact,  and  among  these  he  labored. 
The  plantation  on  which  he  sought  and 
obtained  employment  was  always  in  the 
vicinity  of  some  wood  landing,  not  usually 
more  than  eight  or  ten  miles  distant — a 
distance  that  might  be  doubled  in  one 
night  or  in  a  few  hours. 

The  work  of  building  and  repairing 
was  the  occupation  principally  of  the 
winter  season.  Hence  it  was  the  custom 
of  these  men  to  go  South  in  the  au- 
tumn, secure  employment  and  remain 
until  spring,  when  they  would  return  to 
their  homes  in  the  North  to  spend  the  sum^ 
mer  and  prepare  for  the  next  campaign. 

Once  entered  upon  their  duties  on 
the  plantation  they  very  soon  ascertained 
the  true  character  of  the   slaves  under 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  45 

their  charg^e — their  disposition,  intel- 
lig"ence,  trustworthiness  and  courag^e — 
for  these  adventurous  spirits  were  keen 
observers  and  quick  interpreters  of  hu- 
man nature. 

Having  fi^^d  upon  his  man,  the  super- 
intendent would  secure  his  implicit  con- 
fidence and  by  easy  stages,  but  with  ut- 
most caution,  impart  to  him  his  secret 
and  eventually  disclose  his  plans. 

Whether  any  of  these  ag^ents  were  ever 
betrayed  is  not  known  and  probably 
never  will  be,  for  death  certain  and  sure 
must  have  been  their  portion.  They 
could  have  expected  no  other  fate  in  such 
an  emerg-ency — in  fact  they  realized  all 
this,  and  were  prepared  for  the  sac- 
rifice. 

The  plan  of  escape  was  minutely  de- 
tailed to  the  slave,  while  the  peril  of  the 
undertaking-,  the  long-  and  tedious  jour- 
ney beset  with  privations  was  fully  ex- 
plained and  impressed  upon  his  mind, 
with  the  view  of  streng-thening  his  pur- 
pose to  strike  for  liberty  or  die  in  the 
attempt. 

In  the  lig-ht  of  this  fact  the  amount  of 
courage,  shrewdness  and  fortitude  a 
slave  would  exhibit  in  such  a  crisis  was 
amazintr.     But  what  will  not   a   human 


46  3\4y4TTHElVTETERS 

being  undergo  to  obtain  his  freedom!  If 
life  is  worth  living  death  is  preferable  to 
slavery.  It  was  not  indeed  the  fear  of 
death  that  would  restrain  the  effort  for 
freedom,  should  the  poor  victim  fall  in 
his  flight  and  be  retaken  by  the  hounds, 
a  fate  worse  than  death  awaited  him — 
the  lash,  the  shackles,  the  iron  collar 
around  his  neck,  with  prongs  reaching 
up  about  the  head.  This  was  his  doom. 
Flight  once  agreed  upon,  the  time  of 
its  execution  was  fixed.  On  a  particular 
night — a  dark  and  stormy  one  being  pre- 
ferred— the  slave  stole  away  and  con- 
cealed himself  at  a  certain  point.  Here 
he  was  met  by  the  superintendent,  his 
friend  and  guide,  who  took  him  upon  his 
shoulders,  carrying  him  zigzag  back  and 
forth  for  some  distance,  then  in  a  circle 
crossing  his  own  track,  often  walking 
backwards  with  his  burden  upon  him, 
eventually  reaching  a  stream  or  swamp, 
which  he  waded,  finally  emerging  from 
the  water,  leaving  no  trace  behind,  to  the 
opposite  side.  These  eccentric  maneu- 
vers were  made  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
fusing and  mystifying  the  hounds  and 
pursuers.  Thence  they  proceeded  di- 
rectly to  the  wood-landings,  where  the 
the  fugitive  was  cared  for  by  confeder- 


A  F0%EIGN  IMMIGRANT  47 

ates,  the  wood  choppers.  Here  the  slave 
waited  further  developments.  The  su- 
perintendent hastened  back  to  the  plan- 
tation, which  he  used  to  reach  about  the 
darkest  hour  before  dawn  and  no  one  on 
the  premises  was  the  wnser  for  his 
absence. 


48  {M^TTHEIV  TETERS 

V. 

SLAVES   DUKE   AND   DON   ESCAPE. 

ENRY  ROBERTS  had  promised 
on  his  last  trip  to  New  Orleans 
to  return  to  a  certain  point  and 
help  the  escape  of  the  slaves 
Duke  and  Don.  The  boat  had 
pulled  up  to  this  landing-  in  the  middle  of 
the  nig-ht.  In  the  morning-  Duke  was 
missing  from  his  accustomed  place  on  the 
plantation;  none  of  his  companions  knew 
of  his  whereabouts;  none  had  seen  him 
since  the  previous  evening-.  The  super- 
intendent reported  the  fact  to  the  master, 
who  at  once  ordered  out  the  hounds  and 
horses.  Then  followed  an  eag-er  chase. 
The  master,  accompanied  by  his  trusted 
superintendent,  eng-ag-ed  in  the  pursuit. 
The  tracks  of  the  f  ug-itive  were  scented  by 
the  blood  hounds.  On  they  rushed  until 
they  reached  the  trysting--place,  where 
they  whirl  about  in  a  frenzy,  seeking-  to 
reg-ain  the  trail  which  here  abruptly 
comes  to  an  end;  for  this  is  the  spot 
where  the  superintendent  met  the  runa- 
way and  took  him  upon  his  shoulders, 
lifting-  him  free  from  the  earth  into  the 


A  FOREIGN  IMMIGRANT 


49 


air,  dissipating-  in  the  breeze  the  scent 
which  guided  the  hounds  to  this  point. 
The  master  is  surprised  and  puzzled 
at  this  sudden 
termination  of 
the  trail;  it  is 
an  unaccount- 
a  b  1  e  circum- 
stance. 

Confused  and 
excited  he  hes- 
itates  for  a 
moment.  He 
must  not  be 
foiled  b}'  that 
miserable 
'•nig-ger,"  and 
is  therefore 
not  at  all  dis- 
posed to  give 
up  the  chase. 
He  consults 
I  with  the  super- 
intendent, who 
is  riding  at  his 
side,  and  who 
with  a  ready 
opinion  as  to  the  best  course  to  be  fol- 
lowed, suggests  a  direction  varying  from 
that   he   had   taken   with  the  negro,   or 


iO  mATTHElV  TETERS 

perhaps  he  recommends  going"  to  the 
creek  or  swamp,  as  probably  the  "nigger" 
has  crossed  the  water.  One  or  perhaps 
both  of  these  sug"gestions  are  acted  upon, 
but  the  pursuit  proves  a  failure.  After 
the  day  is  well  spent  in  useless  search, 
the  pursuing-  party  and  bloodhounds  re- 
turn to  the  plantation  worn  out  and  dis- 
appointed, but  the  slave-owner  does  not 
g-ive  up  all  hope.  He  advertises  his  loss 
throug-hout  the  neighboring-  country,  a 
reward  is  offered,  and  there  is  a  hope  that 
the  daring  fugitive  will  yet  be  captured. 
Two  or  three  weeks,  or  perhaps  a 
month,  elapses  when  Don,  another  slave, 
is  gone — he  is  the  most  valued  one  on 
the  plantation.  Duke's  success  has  evi- 
dently given  courage  to  others.  Don  is 
the  "handiest  darkie"  and  best  mechanic 
on  the  place;  he  is  also  one  of  the  smart- 
est, as  the  superintendent  was  not  long 
in  finding  out.  He  must  be  retaken 
regardless  of  cost,  and  no  effort  is 
spared  in  his  recapture.  An  unusually 
heavy  reward  is  offered,  large  posters 
giving  a  description  of  the  runaway  are 
spread  broadcast  and  may  be  seen  at 
every  cross-roads,  hotel,  post  office  and 
court  house;  a  rough  picture  of  a  running 
negro  adorns  the  poster;  upon  his  right 


A  FOTRElGh!  IMMIGRANT  5 1 

shoulder  rests  a  cane,  and  from  this  is 
suspended  a  small  bundle  carried  behind 
his  back. 

But  the  reward  availed  nothinj^;  the 
negro  mysteriously  disappeared;  his  es- 
cape was  utterly  incomprehensible.  The 
superintendent  is  the  only  person  on  the 
plantation  who  could  clear  away  the  mys- 
tery were  he  so  disposed,  but  he  seems  no 
less  chag-rined  than  the  rest.  The  planter, 
who  purchased  Don  but  a  year  ag'o  at  au 
executor's  sale  in  Virg'inia  for  an  exorbi- 
tant sum  on  account  of  his  youth,  never 
sees  him  ag-ain. 

Duke  and  Don  are  once  more  tog-ether, 
nervously  and  anxiously  awaiting-  the 
relief  promised  them  by  those  into  whose 
trust  they  had  been  committed  at  the 
wood-landing-.  But  they  have  yet  a  long-, 
tedious  and  perilous  journey  to  perform 
before  they  reach  the  land  of  freedom. 

And  so  the  work  of  the  superintendent 
progresses  until  spring,  the  first  of  March, 
when  his  contract  expires.  He  bids  fare- 
well to  the  plantation  and  takes  occasion 
to  visit  New  Orleans,  where  he  has  friends 
who  are  expecting  him — friends  of  the 
U.  G.  R.  R. 

The  calm  deliberation,  keen  discretion, 
sound    judgment    and   high   courage   of 


52  aUTTHElV  TETERS 

these  overseers  from  the  North,  parading- 
as  the  friends  and  counselors  of  the 
slave  holders  in  the  South,  was  some- 
thing' extraordinary.  Heroism,  in  the 
common  acceptation  of  the  word,  pales 
before  such  devotion  to  a  principle — the 
principle  of  human  liberty  and  human 
rights.  The  influence  they  exerted  upon 
the  master  and  the  power  they  exercised 
over  the  slave,  at  once  commanding  the 
respect  of  the  former  and  at  the  same 
time  maintaining  the  confidence  of  the 
latter,  required  an  adaptability  to  sur- 
rounding circumstances  born  of  the  exi- 
gencies of  the  times,  a  study  in  human 
ethics! 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  wood  landings. 
This  is  the  rendezvous  of  fugitive  slaves 
from  all  directions,  even  for  those  from 
the  opposite  banks  of  the  river.  All 
winter  the  work  of  liberating  slaves  went 
on,  until  a  small  colony  was  gathered  to- 
gether at  this  place.  They  are  still  in 
the  heart  of  the  slave  territory,  a  thous- 
and miles  from  free  soil  and  nearly  two 
thousand  miles  from  their  refuge  in 
Canada. 

Will  they  ever  reach  their  destination? 
How?     We  shall  see. 

A  steamboat  runs  alongside  of  one  of 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  53 

these  landing's  to  take  on  a  supply  of 
fuel.  The  boat  is  either  owned  or  con- 
trolled by  the  U.  G.  R.  R.  It  would 
scarcely  seem  credible  or  possible  that  in 
such  a  public  conveyance  secrecy  could 
be  observed,  but  it  only  illustrates  how 
thoroughly  the  U.  G.  R.  R.  was  or- 
fj^anized  and  how  loyal  were  its  operators. 
The  boat  landed  at  nii^ht,  and  by  the 
fitful,  dim  and  smoky  blaze  of  pine 
torches  the  g"ang--plank  was  run  ashore. 
The  ebony  deck  hands  proceeded  on  the 
trot  to  "tote"  aboard  the  cordwood,  sing-- 
ing-  their  doleful  melodies  to  the  measure 
of  their  steps  as  they  passed  to  and  fro. 
While  this  animating-  scene  was  in  prog-- 
ress  the  fugitives,  one  by  one,  stealthily 
emerg-ed  from  their  cover,  shouldered  a 
load  of  cordwood,  ming^led  with  the  crowd 
of  carriers,  reached  the  deck,  deposited 
the  wood  on  board  and  disappeared. 

Where?  Few  can  tell,  but  a  secure 
place  has  been  provided;  it  may  be  below 
decks  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel,  or  per- 
haps a  private  cabin.  It  is  not  altog^ether 
improbable  that  in  a  few  days,  if  all  is 
well,  some  of  them  might  be  seen  acting- 
as  deck  hands,  for  their  identity  could 
hardly  be  suspected.  Who  pays  any  at- 
tention to  deck  hands;  a  new  man  among 


54  CMATTHEIV  TETERS 

their  number  would  elicit  no  questions, 
even  among-  the  regular  crew,  so  common 
are  the  chang-es;  and  who  would  dream 
that  an  ig-norant  plantation  "nig-g-er" 
would  undertake  to  make  his  escape  by 
such  daring-  means  down  in  Louisiana? 
No  slave  would  be  credited  with  such 
boldness  and  much  less  Avith  the  intelli- 
g-ence  necessary  to  execute  such  a 
project. 

Cincinnati  is  reached,  and  a  local  ag-ent, 
apprised  of  the  arrival  of  the  boat,  has 
everything-  in  readiness  for  the  reception 
of  the  consig-nment.  Do  you  remember 
the  friend  who  met  Mr.  Roberts  and 
took  him  up  into  the  city  as  soon 
as  the  boat  landed?  It  was  he  who 
had  the  care  of  the  refug-ees  during- 
Mr.  Roberts'  temporary  absence  while 
taking-  Matthew  to  his  home  on  the 
Ridg-e.  The  refug-ees  in  the  meantime 
remained  in  hiding-  in  Cincinnati  and  en- 
joyed the  hospitality  of  friends  while 
awaiting-  Mr.  Roberts'  return.  This  was 
the  cause  of  his  immediate  departure 
after  he  had  taken  Matthew  to  his 
mother.  Returning-  at  once  to  Cincinnati 
he  consulted  with  members  of  the  U.  G. 
R.  R.  and  careful  preparations  were 
made  for  conducting  the  slaves  to  Can- 


if 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  55 

ada.  These  were  confided  to  the  care  of 
tried  and  trusted  friends,  and  were  se- 
cretly escorted,  singly  or  in  couples, 
seldom  in  g"roups,  at  stated  intervals  and 
by  various  routes,  to  the  next  station,  a 
conductor  watcliiny  their  prog-ress  dur- 
ing their  entire  overland  journey. 

Once  safely  quartered  in  Cincinnati, 
after  a  day  or  two  of  rest,  word  was  passed 
to  friends  along-  the  various  routes  to  be 
ready  for  their  arrival.  They  were  con- 
veyed from  station  to  station,  and  from 
village  to  farm-house  and  from  farm- 
house to  village,  generally  from  ten  to 
twenty  miles  apart,  sometimes  boldly 
in  broad  daylight,  but  more  often  during 
the  evening  or  early  morning.  At  these 
stations,  whether  in  city  or  country,  in 
the  village  or  on  the  farm,  the  fugitives 
were  consigned  to  various  parties  who 
were  expecting  them  and  were  by  them 
concealed  about  their  premises  and  cared 
for  until  some  favorable  opportunity 
offered,  when  they  were  transported  in 
vehicles  to  the  next  station. 

When  it  was  discovered  that  the  sheriff 
and  slave-catcher  were  on  the  track  it 
was  frequently  found  a  necessary  precau- 
tion to  remain  at  one  station  for  a  week 
or  ten  days.     In  such  an  emergency  every 


56  ^f^  TTHEIV  TETERS 

member  of  the  family  witli  whom  a  runa- 
way was  concealed,  as  well  as  their  sym- 
pathizers throughout  that  region,  would 
be  on  guard  to  watch  the  approach  of  the 
posse,  ready  to  protect  their  guest,  even 
to  resisting  the  officers  of  the  law.  When 
such  danger  was  imminent  a  farmer  has 
been  known  to  load  up  his  wagon  with 
wheat,  oats  or  corn,  disposing  of  the 
grain  in  such  a  manner  that  the  fugitive 
could  be  secreted  in  the  bottom  of  the 
load  without  exciting  the  least  suspicion, 
and,  while  pretending  to  be  going  to 
town  or  to  mill,  he  would  be  on  his  way 
to  the  next  station  where  his  charge 
would  be  delivered  into  other  hands  to 
be  forwarded  on  his  journey.  Various 
methods  were  resorted  to  in  order  to  allay 
suspicion  and  avoid  recapture;  yet  in 
spite  of  all  precaution,  these  convoys 
were  sometimes  overtaken  and  the  parties 
arrested,  though  not  always  without  ser- 
ious opposition  if  not  actual  bloodshed. 
Sometimes  the  weary  fugitive  preferred 
to  rest  a  few  days  at  some  of  these  places 
of  refuge  before  proceeding  on  his  per- 
ilous journey,  and  he  would  make  him- 
self useful  about  the  premises  by  churn- 
ing, grooming  horses,  or  laboring  on  the 
farm.     In  the  evening  he  would  occupy  a 


A  FOREIGN  IMMIGRANT  57 

place  in  the  family  circle  while  all  list- 
ened with  the  deepest  interest  to  the 
story  of  his  life  as  a  slave  and  his  mirac- 
ulous escape. 

The  duty  of  the  conductor  was  to  act 
not  only  as  an  escort  and  g"uide,  but  as  an 
advance  as  well  as  rear  guard.  It  was  his 
business  to  direct  all  the  movements  and 
to  watch  the  prog-ress  of  the  enemy  should 
any  be  following-  the  trail,  and  to  keep 
all  stations  apprised  of  dang-er  throug-h 
couriers.  By  this  means  the  entire  line 
was  informed  as  to  the  prog-ress  of  the 
fug-itives. 

Michig-an — for  this  was  the  great  liig-h- 
way  to  freedom — was  not  the  least  haz- 
ardous in  their  perilous  journey,  for 
althoug^h  the  people  as  a  rule  were 
friendly  there  were  local  spies,  and 
throug'hout  the  country  were  posted  the 
minions  of  the  slave  power,  ever  on  the 
alert  for  runaway  negroes  in  hope  of  a 
reward.  Many  a  bloody  combat  between 
these  and  the  abolitionists  for  the  posses- 
sion of  an  escaping-  slave  has  taken  place 
on  the  soil  of  this  state.  A  history  of 
some  of  these  encounters  between  the 
sheriff's  posse  and  the  people  would  be 
no   less   thrilling-   than   a  description  of 


58 


CMATTHEIV  TETERS 


some   great  battle   between  contending 
armies. 

It  was  upon  a  mission 
such  as  I  have  herein 
described  that  Henry 
Roberts  was  engaged 
'  when  he  rescued  Mat- 
thew from  the  life  of  a 
street  gamin.  He  not 
only  served  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  negro 
mechanics,  but  dis- 
guised as  an  ordinary 
passenger,  also  acted 
as  superintendent  of 
the  expedition  from  the  wood-landings 
to  the  North.  He  often  acted  as  con- 
ductor of  a  party  through  Ohio,  and 
successfully  accomplished  his  task. 
On  this  trip  he  succeeded  in  liberating' 
eighteen  slaves,  some  of  whom — Duke 
and  Don  amoag  them — were  the  same  he 
had  aided  to  escape  from  the  Louisiana 
plantation.  Among  the  group  were  the 
two  slaves,  whose  anxiety  to  know  the 
"Norf  Star"  had  inspired  Matthew  as  he 
lay  curled  up  among  the  cotton  bales  on 
that  starlight  March  night,  to  believe 
that  the  world  was  larger  than  the  boun- 
daries of  New  Orleans. 


HENRY  S.  ROBERTS. 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  59 

VI. 

THE  NEW  HOME — MOTHER  ROBERTS. 

AS  it  well  with  the  lad?  Na- 
ture does  much  but  environ- 
ment does  more  for  the  human 
being  tossed  upon  the  fitful 
sea  of  life.  Unguided  child- 
hood often  ends  in  misdirected  age, 
when  the  misfortunes  of  the  parents  fall 
with  heaviest  burden  upon  the  unfortu- 
nate offspring. 

Waif  Matthew  was  drifting,  and  his 
chance  acquaintance  might  be  for  his 
weal  or  for  his  woe.  It  took  weeks  of 
acquaintance  in  the  new  home  to  fully 
assure  him  that  he  had  fallen  into  the 
care  of  friends  instead  of  the  haunt  of 
Schinderhannes  and  his  hags. 

By  the  little  ministrations  of  love  and 
tenderness  that  were  constant,  because 
natural  on  the  part  of  "Mother"  and 
"Aunt  Mabel,"  the  frightened  boy  be- 
came assured  that  he  had  found  a  shelter 
with  gentle  people. 

The  scars  of  unkindness  were  soon 
healed  by  these  influences  and  the  boy  be- 
came like  one  of  the  family,  partaking  in 
the  sacrifices,  labors,  comforts  and  rest 
of  one  at  home. 


60  (MATTHEIV  TETERS 

He  attended  tlie  country  school  and 
enjoyed  all  the  privileg-es  accorded  in 
those  pioneer  days  to  the  early  settlers. 
If  he  did  study  by  the  lig'ht  of  the  brick 
kiln  which  he  tended  until  late  at  night, 
it  did  not  matter,  for  his  heart  was 
at  rest  though  his  body  was  weary  when 
the  task  was  done. 

Upon  the  mother  of  the  house  depends 
most  as  to  the  influences  which  go  out 
through  the  lives  of  those  under  her  min- 
istering care.  "Mother"  or  Mrs.  Anise 
Sharp  Roberts,  into  whose  hands  the 
little  waif  had  fallen,  came  of  the  sturdy 
English  family,  Scharpe,  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent,  the  history  of  which  forms  an 
important  part  of  Rutland,  England. 

She  was  born  on  the  banks  of  the 
Housatonic  river,  in  Fairfield  county, 
Connecticut,  Aug.  10,  1791.  With  her 
was  born  a  twin  brother,  John  W.  Sharp, 
who  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  at  its 
close  went  to  England  to  obtain  posses- 
sion of  the  family  patrimony.  This 
brother  died  Dec.  7,  1815,  and  was  buried 
in  St.  John's  churchyard,  Liverpool,  with- 
out accomplishing  his  mission,  and  with 
his  death  all  efforts  to  secure  the  inher- 
itance were  abandoned. 

Her  advent  upon  the  earth  was  in  the 


A  FOT{ElGN  IMMIGRANT  61 

infancy  of  the  Nation.  Washing-ton  was 
serving"  his  first  term  as  President,  and 
she  was  in  her  ninth  year  when  the  young 
republic  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
death  of  its  most  illustrious  citizen, 
statesman  and  soldier.  She  well  re- 
membered the  sad  event  and  related  to 
Matthew  how  the  bells  tolled  the  solemn 
knell  from  every  church  in  town  and 
"meeting-  house"  in  the  country,  while 
everybody  went  to  Bridg-eport  to  learn 
the  mournful  news.  The  country  west 
of  the  Alleghanies  was  an  unknown 
wilderness  and  had  yet  to  be  reclaimed 
from  the  savage,  who  held  undisputed 
sway.  Louisiana  territory  was  a  de- 
pendency of  Prance;  the  empire  states  of 
Texas  and  California  with  the  southwest 
territories  were  absolutely  terra  incog-- 
nita.  During-  her  life  the  thirteen  orig-- 
inal  states  bordering-  the  Atlantic  swelled 
to  forty-four,  reaching-  from  ocean  to 
ocean  and  from  the  lakes  to  the  g-ulf. 
Not  only  was  the  growth  of  our  country 
marvelous  during-  her  days,  but  what 
wonders  her  eyes  witnessed  in  the  ma- 
terial and  mechanical  prog-ress  of  man- 
kind— in  the  arts,  sciences,  literature  and 
invention.  It  is  enough  to  dazzle  one  to 
contemplate  what  our  country  was  and 


62  (MATTHEIVTETERS 

its  condition  at  the  time  of  her  birth 
and  compare  it  with  the  radical  changes 
that  were  wroug-ht  in  the  more  than  ten 
decades  that  marked  the  course  of  her 
life.  Living-  in  this  eventful  period,  hers 
was  no  ordinary  experience. 

FOLLOWING   JOSEPH    SMITH. 

Anise  was  married  to  John  W.  Roberts 
of  Vermont,  June  1,  1824,  at  Monroe, 
Connecticut.  Three  sons  were  born  as 
the  result  of  this  union,  John,  Elijah  and 
Henry.  The  family,  consisting  of  father, 
mother,  and  three  sons,  migrated  to  Ohio 
and  cast  their  fortunes  with  the  disciples 
of  Joseph  Smith,  the  apostle  of  Mormon- 
ism,  following  their  leader  to  Independ- 
ence, Missouri,  and  subsequently  to  Nau- 
V0O,  Illinois,  sharing  all  the  vicissitudes 
of  that  peculiar  people.  At  Nauvoo  the 
second  son  died.  When  Joseph  Smith 
was  murdered  and  the  church  of  Latter 
Day  Saints  dispersed,  Mrs.  Roberts,  ac- 
companied by  her  two  sons,  moved  into 
Indiana;  she  early  repudiated  the  new 
doctrine  of  sealed  marriages,  which  she 
discerned  to  be  nothing  more  nor  less 
than  polygamy.  But  she  was  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  pretensions  of  the  Latter 
Day   prophet,  whom  she  esteemed   as  a 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  63 

saint  no  less  than  those  recorded  by  Fox 
in  his  Book  of  Martyrs.  The  husband  and 
father,  being-  a  Mormon  elder  and  a  de- 
vout adherent  of  Brig-ham  Young-,  ac- 
companied the  expedition  to  Deseret  (as 
the  Mormons  were  pleased  to  then  call 
their  objective  point),  there  on  the  g-reat 
Salt  Lake  to  establish  their  city  and 
church  far  beyond  the  pale  of  civilization, 
where  no  unbelievers  could  molest  them 
in  their  civil  rights  or  religious  cere- 
monies. The  emig-rants  suffered  g-reat 
hardships  and  privations  during-  this  ex- 
odus and  rested  about  a  year  at  Kanes- 
ville  (now  Council  Bluffs)  to  recuperate 
before  starting-  on  their  tedious  and 
eventful  journey  across  the  plains.  Here 
John  W.  Roberts,  the  husband,  died,  the 
oldest  son  having-  also  died  but  a 
few  months  before. 

The  widow  afterward  returned  to  Ohio 
with  her  only  remaining-  son,  Henry  S. 
Roberts,  who  became  the  agent  of  the 
U.  G.  R.  R.  in  1855. 

After  the  death  of  this,  her  last  son, 
Mrs.  Roberts  continued  to  live  in  Ohio 
upon  a  two-acre  homestead  which  he  had 
left  her.  With  her  lived  her  eldest  sister, 
Mabel,  and  the  orphan  boy  whom  her 
son  Henry  had  rescued  from  the  streets 


64  {M/ITTHEIV  TETERS 

and  slums  of  New  Orleans.  Mrs.  Roberts 
supported  this  family  by  spinning-  with 
an  old-fashioned  wheel  and  weaving-  car- 
pets on  an  ancient  loom.  Aunt  Mabel 
died  ag-ed  eig^hty-one  years;  the  adopted 
son  had  g^one  to  war  and  was  at  the  time 
serving-  in  Virg-inia  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany B.,  Sixteenth  Ohio,  having-  enlisted 
under  President  Lincoln's  first  call  for 
seventy-five  thousand  men.  This  left 
Mother  Roberts,  then  more  than  seventy- 
five  years  of  ag-e,  alone,  and  she  con- 
cluded to  remove  to  Vienna,  Indiana, 
where  another  sister,  Mrs.  Mary  Harrod, 
resided.  This  sister  also  soon  passed 
away,  when  Mrs.  Roberts,  before  the 
close  of  the  war,  went  to  Rosemond, 
Illinois,  to  live  with  a  niece,  who  soon 
after  died. 

Mother  Roberts  was  a  woman  of  won- 
derful vitality  and  cheerful  disposition. 
In  her  youth  she  was  considered  a  g-reat 
beauty  and  had  a  charming-  voice  which 
rang-  with  sweet  melody  when  she  sang- 
the  song-s  of  Auld  Lang-  Syne,  even  after 
she  had  attained  her  nineties.  One  of 
the  rules  of  her  life  was  to  read  two 
chapters  of  the  bible  every  day.  This 
practice  she  devoutly  pursued  until  about 
two   years   before   her   death   when   her 


A  F(yi{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  65 

sight  beg-an  to  fail  her  so  that  even  the 
the  larg-est  print  became  illeg^ible,  and 
she  laid  her  treasured  volume  re<rretfully 
aside,  but  her  conduct  was  fashioned 
after  its  sacred  teaching-s,  so  the  sunset 
of  her  life  was  calm  and  peaceful. 

Her  life  was  noble  and  full  of  self-sac- 
rifice, and  her  experiences  most  varied. 
Besides  rearing-  her  own  family,  she 
raised  one  orphan  girl  and  two  orphan 
boys,  one  of  whom  was  the  street  gamin, 
the  hero  of  this  sketch. 

She  imbued  her  family  with  lofty  sen- 
timents, inspired  by  these  exalted  virtues 
that  marked  her  own  life  and  influenced 
for  good  all  who  came  in  contact  with  her. 


66  U\4ATTHEIV  TETERS 


VII. 

A   WAR   REMINISCENCE — ONE   UNION 
SOLDIER — BUZZARD   ROOST. 

N  the  morning-  of  May  9, 1864,  the 
Seventy-fourth  Ohio  regiment 
was  encamped  upon  Tunnel  Hill 
Ridge,  Georgia,  forming  a  part 
of  the  Third  Brigade,  First  Di- 
vision, Fourteenth  Army  Corps.  Sher- 
man's army,  of  which  it  was  the  center, 
had  started  upon  its  memorable  march, 
known  in  history  as  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign, and  after  a  week's  marching  and 
maneuvering  it  attained  this  position 
with  but  slig-ht  opposition,  although 
there  was  occasional  skirmishing  but  no 
hard  fighting. 

From  its  position  the  soldiers  could 
look  down  upon  the  valley  which  sloped 
irregularly  to  the  foot  of  Buzzard  Roost 
mountain  which  was  skirted  by  Mill 
Creek,  a  narrow  but  deep  little  stream, 
the  banks  of  which  were  lined  with  tim- 
ber. Mill  Creek  separated  Buzzard 
Roost  from  Rocky  Face,  forming  a  gap 
between  them.  Soldiers  could  look 
through  the  gap,  and  the  view  of  Buzzard 
Roost  and   Rocky   Face   which  frowned 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  67 

before  them,  was  quite  distinct,  though 
a  mile  distant. 

Colonel  Josiah  Given,  afterwards  one 
of  the  supreme  judsfes  of  Iowa  and  com- 
mander of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public of  that  department,  commanded 
this  regiment  and  Matthew,  the  immi- 
grant waif,  was  his  adjutant. 

Early  in  the  morning  a  courier  handed 
Matthew  an  order  for  the  Colonel  which 
was  promptly  delivered.  Colonel  Given 
read  the  document  and  returned  it  to 
Matthew  with  instructions  to  see  the 
order  executed.  It  was  that  a  detail  of 
twenty  men  and  an  officer  should  be  made 
from  his  regiment  to  be  provided  with 
axes  and  shovels  and  proceed  to  Mill 
Creek  to  construct  a  bridge  on  which  the 
troops  might  cross  to  Buzzard  Roost. 

Having  ascertained  the  nature  of  the 
order  Matthew  inquired  of  the  Colonel  if 
it  would  not  be  better  to  ask  for  volunteers 
for  this  service,  two  men  from  each  com- 
pany, rather  than  make  a  formal  detail. 
He  left  the  matter  entirely  to  Matthew's 
discretion,  upon  which  this  brave  young 
soldier  further  ventured  to  suggest  that 
he  would  willingly  take  charge  of  the 
party  if  it  would  meet  the  Colonel's  ap- 


68  {M^TTHEJV  TETERS 

proval.  The  commander  replied  that  he 
would  be  glad  to  have  him  do  so. 

Thereupon  Matthew  made  the  orders 
known  to  the  line  officers  and  men,  and 
had  not  the  least  difficulty  in  securing- 
the  required  number;  indeed  more  offered 
their  services  than  he  called  for.  They 
reported  at  brigade  headquarters  where 
the  tools  were  supplied  and  at  once  pro- 
ceeded down  the  valley  to  Mill  Creek. 
They  found  a  rail  fence  bordering  the 
stream;  this  they  promptly  threw  down 
and  at  once  began  their  labors  by  fell- 
ing trees  nearest  to  the  banks  in  such  a 
manner  that  they  lodged  across  the 
stream  from  bank  to  bank,  thus  form- 
ing stringers,  when  trimmed  up.  They 
crossed  over  on  these  stringers  and  re- 
peated the  operation  from  that  side,  thus 
making  a  very  strong  and  secure  bed  for 
the  rails  which  were  then  laid  on  close 
together.  Next  they  covered  the  rails 
with  earth  to  hold  them  firmly  in  position. 

All  this,  so  far  as  the  manual  labor 
was  concerned,  was  an  easy  task  and 
quickly  done.  Twenty  men  working  in 
dead  earnest  can  accomplish  a  great  deal 
in  a  very  short  time.  But  their  task  was 
not  without  anxiety  as  it  was  performed 
under  continuous  fire  from  the  enemy's 


A  F0%EIGN  IMMIGRANT  69 

sharpshooters.  But  they  did  their  work 
all  the  quicker  from  impending  danger, 
retiring-  to  their  regiment  witli  but  one 
man  slightly  wounded. 

It  was  but  a  short  time  after  this  work 
was  completed  before  the  troops  began 
to  utilize  the  bridge.  From  the  position 
of  the  loyal  brigade  on  Tunnel  Hill  Ridge 
they  could  see  their  line  of  battle  extend- 
ing for  miles  along  the  crest  of  the  hills 
and  down  through  the  valley;  and  could 
even  see  the  enemy  who  occupied  Buzzard 
Roost  and  Rocky  Face,  or  at  least  they 
imagined  they  could,  for  there  they  were. 

The  purpose  apparently  was  to  dis- 
lodge the  enemy  from  these  strongholds. 
But  subsequently  it  was  discovered  (after 
the  attack  had  been  made)  that  the  at- 
tack was  but  a  feint  to  occupy  his  atten- 
tion and  detain  him  while  the  wings  of 
Sherman's  army  were  to  close  around  him 
and  cut  oif  his  retreat.  But  the  wily 
enemy  saw  through  this  strategy  and 
escaped  before  the  movement  could  be 
fully  executed.  But  the  Union  soldiers 
performed  their  part  of  the  program  and 
a  hazardous  part  it  was. 

Buzzard  Roost,  a  rough  and  rugged 
mountain,  was  very  difficult  to  scale. 
The  side  toward  the  regiment  was  covered 


70  (MATTHEW  TETERS 

with  rocks  of  all  sizes  and  shapes;  it  was 
cut  up  with  gulleys  and  deep  ravines, 
and  withal  quite  steep  up  to  a  certain 
point  where  it  rose  abruptly  like  a  wall, 
from  fifty  to  one  hundred  feet  high,  form- 
ing a  regular  palisade  of  rock.  The 
members  of  Matthew's  brigade  having 
crossed  the  creek,  they  quickly  formed  in 
line  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  then 
began  the  slow  and  tedious  ascent,  the 
enemy  raining  down  upon  them  their 
shot  and  shell  which  came  crashing 
through  the  trees,  tearing  off  the  limbs 
and  shivering  the  rocks,  fragments  of 
which  and  exploded  shell  were  sent  flying 
in  every  direction.  It  was  under  such 
conditions  that  their  line  advanced.  How 
could  they  ever  expect  to  reach  the  top 
of  the  mountain  shielded  as  it  was  by  a 
perpendicular  wall  and  defended  by  a 
resolute  force.  But  the  true  soldier  ex- 
ecutes his  orders: 

"His  not  to  reason  why. 
His  but  to  do  and  die." 

The  ground  so  very  rough  and  uneven, 
made  it  utterly  impossible  to  see  even 
the  length  of  the  regiment  or  to  main- 
tain any  sort  of  alignment.  They  had 
proceeded  about  half  way  up  the  side 
when  the  Colonel,  near  whom  Matthew 


A  F<yj{ElGN  IMMIGRANT  7l 

stood  at  the  right  of  the  reg-iment,  or- 
dered him  to  g-o  to  the  left  flank,  which 
was  down  in  a  ravine  obscured  by  huj^e 
boulders,  and  report  its  progress  and 
condition.     He  obeyed  orders  promptly. 

The  advance  was  exasperating'ly  slow 
owing-  to  the  obstructions  and  ditHculty 
of  ascent,  and  they  were  exceeding-ly 
anxious  to  reach  the  cover  of  the  wall 
where  they  would  be  comparatively  safe 
from  the  fire  of  the  artillery  as  the  enemy 
could  not  depress  their  cannon  sufficiently 
to  reach  them  there. 

Matthew  had  just  returned  from  the 
left  of  the  reg^iment  and  was  in  the  act  of 
saluting-  the  Colonel  to  make  his  report 
when  a  shell  exploded  not  more  than  six 
feet  from  them  and  slijj^htly  above  their 
heads.  One  frag-ment  of  the  shell  passed 
throug^h  the  Colonel's  hat  and  another 
throug-h  the  skirt  of  his  coat;  another 
frag-ment  struck  a  serg-eant's  arm  and 
shattered  it.  Matthew  fell,  head  down, 
among-  the  rocks.  It  was  a  hard  fall  and 
seemed  to  stun  him  and  for  a  moment 
he  could  make  no  effort  to  arise.  He  was 
not  aware  that  he  had  been  wounded; 
that  thought  had  not  then  occurred  to 
him. 

Recovering-  from  the  shock  of  the  fall. 


72  m/iTTHElV  TETERS 

as  he  supposed,  he  attempted  to  get  up 
and  succeeded  partially,  only  to  fall 
ag-ain.  Twice  he  tried  it  but  failed. 
Thinking  it  was  weakness  and  de- 
termined to  keep  up  with  his  reg- 
iment, he  made  one  more  effort  when 
for  the  first  time  he  realized  that  his 
right  leg  was  shattered.  There  was 
no  pain  until  Chaplain  McFarland  and 
Sergeant  Carpenter  picked  him  up, 
when  on  raising  him  from  the  ground  it 
seemed  as  if  his  leg  was  in  the  fire. 
These  officers  placed  Matthew  on  a 
stretcher  and  had  only  raised  it  from  the 
ground  to  bear  him  off  the  field  when 
another  shell  exploded  in  their  midst 
and  Sergeant  Carpenter  fell,  and  with 
him  the  stretcher  with  the  wounded  man 
on  it. 

Another  came  to  assist  the  Chaplain 
in  conveying  him  down  to  the  foot  of  the 
mountain  where  the  wounded  were  laid 
in  winrows  along  the  banks  of  the  creek. 

While  they  were  going  down,  the  reg- 
iment continued  its  upward  movement 
and  soon  reached  the  shelter  of  the  wall 
where  the  enemy  could  no  longer  reach 
them.  The  bearers  had  just  arrived  at 
the  second  line,  which  was  perhaps  sixty 
or  eighty  rods  in  rear  of  the  first  (now 


A  F(yT{EIGhl  IMMIGRANT  73 

temporarily  out  of  dang-er)  when  the 
enemy  vij^-orously  opened  upon  it  with 
their  artillery. 

Four  men  had  by  this  time  taken  hold 
of  the  stretcher  and  were  carrying'  it 
upon  their  shoulders.  They  were  just 
about  to  pass  throug-h  the  second  line 
where  space  had  been  opened  for  that 
purpose  when  a  shell  came  whizzing-  di- 
rectly over  them.  The  stretche'r  bearers 
involuntarily  dodg^ed.  The  consequence 
was  that  the  poor  wounded  man  dropped 
from  their  shoulders  upon  the  hard  rocks. 
The  ag^ony  endured  by  Matthew  in  his 
fevered  condition  may  be  faintly  iraag^- 
ined  but  cannot  be  described. 

The  stretcher  was  broken.  A  Captain 
who  witnessed  the  act  severel}'  repri- 
manded the  stretcher-bearers.  They 
picked  up  their  charge  tenderly  and 
finally  succeeded  in  placing-  him  among- 
the  wounded  near  the  banks  of  the  creek. 
He  was  laid  upon  half  of  a  blanket  and 
covered  with  the  other  half;  his  coat  served 
as  a  pillow  on  which  to  rest  his  aching- 
head. 

It  was  about  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon when  he  was  wounded.  The  frag-- 
ment  of  shell  had  penetrated  his  riglit 
leg-   just   below  the  knee,  and  shattered 


74  mATTHElV  TETERS 

the  bones  so  that  the  p-arts  protruded 
throug-h  the  flesh,  for  such  is  war. 

It  was  nearly  ni<Tfht  when  Major  J.  R. 
Brelsford,  medical  director  of  the  divi- 
sion, who  was  a  particular  friend  of  Mat- 
thew, because  they  were  boon  compan- 
ions at  chess  during  their  leisure  in 
camp,  called  upon  the  sufferer. 

Having-  heard  that  Matthew  was 
wounded  he  soug^ht  him  out  to  render 
such  assistance  as  he  might.  After  his 
salutation  and  expression  of  sympathy, 
he  removed  the  covering  and  with  a  sharp 
surgical  instrument  cut  off  the  boot,  the 
top  of  which  reached  above  the  knee. 
He  next  ripped  open  the  trousers  leg  and 
laid  the  wound  out  bare.  He  carefully 
examined  the  injured  member  and  then 
remarked: 

"Well,  Adjutant,  in  order  to  save  your 
life  that  leg  must  come  off,"  and  saying 
this,  he  drew  his  forefinger  across  the 
limb  to  designate  where  the  amputation 
must  be  performed. 

"Doctor,  if  you  cut  off  my  leg  to  save 
my  life,  I'll  never  forgive  you  as  long  as 
I  live!"  exclaimed  Matthew,  adding,  "too 
many  soldiers  are  maimed  for  life  by 
speedy  amputation." 

The  doctor  drew  the  flaps  of  the  trous- 
ers legs   back  gently  over  the  ghastly 


A  FOT{EIGhl  IMMIGRANT  Ti> 

wound  and  covered  him  up  a/^ain  witli 
the  blanket,  expressin«,f  his  ref^rct  that 
he  could  do  nothing-  further  for  liim,  and 
so  he  left  him. 

Matthew  laid  all  that  night — not  a 
bite  to  eat,  but  he  felt  no  hunger;  not  a 
drop  of  water  to  drink  though  he  was 
parched  and  perishing-  for  want  of  it. 
Oh!  what  would  he  not  have  done  or 
promised  to  do  for  a  cup  of  cooling;  v.ater. 
Beside  him,  on  either  side,  lay  other 
wounded,  moaning  and  groaning;  some 
praying-,  some  cursing-;  all  calling  and 
pleading-  for  water.  Near  by  ran  the 
creek,  and  during  the  night  it  rained  very 
hard,  but  it  was  morning-  before  any  one 
came  to  quench  the  burning  thirst  which 
was  consuming-  these  soldier  boys.  It  is 
not  in  the  power  of  language  to  describe 
the  sufferings  and  agony  and  anguish  of 
the  battlefield,  the  barbarous  relic  of  the 
Dark  Ages. 

In  the  forenoon  of  the  next  da)%  ^Nlat- 
thew  with  a  number  of  others  was  car- 
ried to  a  shed  which  had  formerly  been 
used  as  a  shelter  for  tobacco  while  being- 
cured.  It  was  quite  extensive  and  ac- 
commodated a  large  number.  It  consisted 
merely  of  a  roof  of  boards  resting  on 
posts  well  set  in  the  ground;  there  were 


76  mj  TTHEIV  TE  TERS 

no  ends  or  sides.  It  was  situated  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  tunnel  through  which  the 
railroad  passed. 

Here  the  wounded  were  cared  for  as 
best  the  nurses  could.  Supplies  were 
limited,  but  they  were  given  occasional 
sups  of  beef  tea.  There  was  no  medical 
attendance  whatever.  Here  they  lay  for 
two  long-,  long-,  tedious  days,  after  which 
they  were  put  aboard  of  freig^ht  cars  and 
compelled  to  lie  upon  the  hard  floors — 
two  rows  of  boys  with  their  heads  to- 
ward the  sides  of  the  car,  their  feet 
toward  the  center.  In  this  manner  they 
were  jolted  and  jostled  to  Chattanoog^a 
where  they  were  placed  in  a  reg-ular 
army  hospital,  on  Cameron  Hill.  Such 
were  the  suffering's  endured  by  the  boys 
of  both  the  Blue  and  the  Gray  in  the 
strife  of  war  for  the  abolition  of  human 
slavery. 

The  surg-eons  examined  Matthew's 
wound  and  found  his  leg  swollen  almost 
as  large  as  his  body.  They  decided 
upon  an  operation,  to  which  he  submitted 
only  on  condition  that  his  leg  should  not 
be  amputated.  Seeing  his  earnestness 
they  solemnly  pledged  him  their  word  of 
honor  that  his  wishes  in  the  matter  should 
be  respected  and  only  the  loose  bone  be  re- 


A  FOliEIGN  IMMIGRANT  77 

moved.  He  doubted  but  was  helpless  in 
the  hands  of  stranj^ers.  He  was  taken 
to  the  operating-  table  and  chloroformed. 
Happily  when  he  regained  consciousness 
he  found  himself  a<^ain  on  his  cot  with 
his  wounded  limb  done  up  in  wooden 
splints,  within  a  wire  frame  extendin<j 
from  his  body  to  his  toes,  and  suspended 
from  the  ceiling'  by  a  cord.  He  could 
neither  move  his  leg"  nor  turn  his  body, 
and  in  this  position  he  lang-uished  for 
three  months — three  long-,  weary,  agon- 
izing months.  For  the  first  few  weeks 
he  ling^ered  between  life  and  death;  in- 
deed it  was  not  expected  that  he  would 
survive.  A  friend  so  informed  him  and 
asked  to  know  if  his  body  should  be  sent 
back  to  Ohio.  Matthew  replied  "No, 
bur}'  me  among  the  Ohio  boys  in  the 
soldier's  cemetery."  He  was  ready  and 
willing-  to  die  to  be  relieved  of  his  suffer- 
ing, but  his  work  was  not  done  and  he 
was  restored  to  health  to  do  valiant 
service  in  other  fields. 

Promoted  to  the  rank  of  Captain,  then 
Major,  Matthew  served  the  cause  of  his 
country  until  the  close  of  the  civil  war, 
after  which  he  pursued  the  arts  of  peace 
with  the  same  fortitude  and  faithfulness 
that  had  characterized  his  life  as  a  soldier. 


78  S'AATTHEIV  TETERS 


VIII. 

A  CONQUEST   OF  PEACE — A  CUSTOM   OF 
THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

"WAISTED. — Two  young  ladies  in  the  North  to  corre- 
spond with  two  soldiers,  who  are  without  relatives,  and 
are  risking  their  lives  in  defense  of  the  Nation. 

Arthur  Van  Lisle, 
Charles  Howard. 
Address,  with  Sherman's  Army  in  its  march  to  the  sea." 

UCH  was  the  notice  that  appeared 
in  one  of  the  leading"  newspapers 
of  Chicago  during"  the  civil  war. 
Such  requests  were  not  unusual 
and  thousands  of  patriotic  women 
responded  to  these  advertisements,  cor- 
responding" with  unknown  soldiers,  lend- 
ing" cheer  and  comfort  to  the  "boys  who 
were  at  the  front,"  enduring  long-  marches 
which  were  made  less  wearisome  as  they 
thought  of  the  friends  who  would  scan, 
with  affectionate  concern,  the  lists  of 
those  eng"ag"ed  in  battle  or  those  dropped 
by  the  way  in  hospital  or  trench. 

While  women  could  not  endure  the 
rig"ors  of  war  in  tent  and  field,  they  did 
these  womanly  deeds  that  cheered  the 
soldiers  to  do  their  hig"hest  duty.  A  let- 
ter in  camp  was  like  the  cup  of  water  to 
a  thirsty  soul. 


A  FOTiEIGhl  IMMIGRANT  79 

This  special  advertisement  was  an- 
swered by  two  3'ounvi:  patriotic  g'irls,  one 
livin<j-  at  Roscoe,  Illinois,  and  the  other 
at  Madison,  Wisconsin,  both  stranf^ers 
to  the  soldiers  whose  weary  hours  their 
letters  cheered.  The  correspondence  con- 
tinued to  the  end  of  the  war. 

The  war  over,  the  young-  soldiers  de- 
sired to  know  these  maidens  in  person. 
They  went  tog'ether  to  pay  their  respects 
first  to  the  young-  lady  of  Roscoe.  It 
was  a  beautiful  summer  day.  Driving- 
along-  the  roadway  leading-  into  the  vil- 
lag^e,  the  soldiers  passed  a  bug-g-y,  in 
which  was  seated,  beside  a  small  bo}' 
who  was  driving-  a  single  horse,  a  beauti- 
ful young  g-irl  clad  in  a  pink  calico  gown 
of  simple  and  tasteful  make. 

So  bewitched  were  they  with  her  beauty 
that  they  permitted  her  to  pass  and  re- 
pass them  several  times,  that  they 
mig-ht  look  upon  her  blooming  cheeks  and 
happy  face.  Judg-e  the  surprise  of  the 
visiting-  soldier  boys  when  they  found 
this  bewitching-  miss  to  be  none  other 
than  "Clara,"  the  war  correspondent  of 
Matthew. 

He  paid  no  visit  to  Madison,  but  left 
his  companion  to  journey  on  alone.  The 
tales  of  thrilling-  adventure  that  fell  upon 


80 


CM^TTHEIV  TETERS 


the  ears  of  this  Miss  completely  won  her 
heart,  which  was  already  enlisted  throug'h 
the  brilliant 
correspond- 
ence that  had 
been  carried 
on  for  many 
months  be- 
tween them. 
Matthew  left 
his  g-irl  lover 
only  to  re- 
turn  at  an 
early  day  to 
claim  her  for-; 
his  bride, 
who  is  now 
Mrs.  Clara 
Lyon  Peters, 
so  well  known 
to  all  philanthropists  in  the  west, 
especially  those  engaged  in  the  work 
for  woman's  emancipation;  also  ex-vice- 
president  of  the  "Woman's  Press  Associ- 
ation of  Illinois. 


CLARA    LYON    PETERS. 


A  FOTiEIGN  IMMIGRANT  81 

IX. 

THE   BLUE   AND   THE   GRAY. 

N  all  the  years  between  1855  and 
1869  the  two  brothers,  Matthew 
and  Samuel,  were  unknown  to  each 
other.  At  the  time  that  Matthew 
escaped  his  cruel  taskmaster, 
Samuel,  the  young  brother,  was  the  in- 
mate of  a  public  orphan  asylum,  which 
was  located  at  the  corner  of  Jackson  and 
Laurel  streets  in  New  Orleans. 

The  war  was  at  an  end  and  peace  ag^ain 
hovered  over  a  united  land.  Matthew's 
love  for  the  long  lost  brother  was  re- 
awakened, and  he  dreamed  and  longed 
night  and  day  for  some  knowledge  of  the 
whereabouts  of  this  his  onl}'  known  kin. 

Had  he  too  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a 
cruel  taskmaster,  had  he  endured  or  es- 
caped? Was  he  of  the  North  or  the 
South?  Was  he  living  or  numbered 
among  the  dead?  Had  he  fought  on 
either  side  in  the  late  Avar;  if  so,  on 
which  side  was  he  found?  These  and 
many  other  questions  came  unbidden, 
at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night,  to  the 
mind  of  the  elder  brother. 

It  was  on  a  calm  summer  evening  in  ISO') 


82  €^A  TTHEIV  TETERS 

as  Matthew  sat  on  his  porch  reading 
a  copy  of  a  Chicag;o  daily  paper,  that 
his  eyes  fell  upon  the  account  of  the 
visit  of  the  "Southern  Loyalists"  to  that 
city.  They  were  prominent  gentlemen 
of  the  south  making  a  tour  of  the  north; 
their  mission,  to  make  observations  for 
the  promotion  of  the  material  welfare  of 
that  section  of  the  states  from  which 
slavery  had  been  so  recently  abolished. 
Among  the  list  of  names  given  was 
that  of  "E.  Heistand,"  lieutenant  gov- 
ernor of  Louisiana. 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  Matthew,  "this  was 
the  name  of  a  German  lawyer,  whose 
sign  swung  over  the  walk  near  the  or- 
phan asylum  where  Samuel  had  found 
shelter.  Is  it  not  possible  that  this  man 
is  related  to  the  elder  advocate  and  will 
it  not  be  possible  for  him  to  find  the 
records  that  will  tell  me  of  my  long  lost 
brother?"  Here  was  a  clue  at  least  and 
the  resourceful  Matthew  was  not  long  in 
following  it  up.  A  letter  soon  readied 
the  honorable  gentleman,  and  with  that 
admirable  courtesy  which  is  charactei-- 
istic  of  southern  men,  his  prompt  reply 
brought  the  coveted  record.  E.  Heistand, 
the  lieutenant  governor,  was  a  son  of 
the  German  advocate.  The  asylum  had 
long  since  closed  its  doors,  but  the  books 


A  FOT^EIGN  IMMIGRANT  83 

of  record  had  been  preserved.  From 
these  he  found  that  the  young^  orphan 
had  been  bound  to  a  Louisiana  planter 
at  Opelousas,  soon  after  Matthew  had 
left  New  Orleans. 

A  letter  to  Samuel  soon  brought  a  re- 
sponse, and  the  long"  separated  brothers 
were  again  united,  to  exchange  life  his- 
tories that  were  stranger  than  any 
fiction. 

The  experience  of  Samuel  as  a  waif 
had  been  a  checkered  one  indeed.  He 
had  remained  in  the  south  where  "poor 
white  trash,"  the  indigent  whites,  were 
more  despised  and  held  in  far  lower  es- 
teem than  the  black  slaves,  with  whom 
they  were  considered  too  low  to  asso- 
ciate. He  had  suffered  the  full  measure 
of  indignities  heaped  upon  those  of  his 
class  added  to  those  of  an  orphan.  Three 
times  he  had  fled  the  persecutions  of  his 
master,  only  to  be  returned  as  an  "incor- 
rigible" and  compelled  to  suffer  on. 

Fortunately  for  him,  war  made  a  way 
for  his  escape.  He  enlisted  in  the  Con- 
federate army,  though  a  mere  bo\',  as  a 
member  of  the  Confederate  General 
Lovell's  body  guard,  and  afterwards  as- 
signed to  the  Third  Louisiana  Cavalry, 
where  he  served  to  the  close  of  the  war. 


84  mATTHElV  TETERS 

Environment  sent  one  of  these  brothers 
into  the  army  of  the  Blue  and  the 
other  into  that  of  the  Gray.  Who  shall 
say  that  one  was  more  patriotic  than 
the  other? 

Strange  to  relate,  these  brothers  were 
wounded  on  the  same  battlefield,  on  the 
same  day  and  in  the  same  way,  though 
fig-liting-,  one  under  the  stars  and  stripes, 
the  other  under  the  stars  and  bars. 

Matthew's  poetical  tribute  to  the  char- 
ity and  peace  that  has  settled  over  the 
National  household  throug-h  the  union 
of  the  Blue  and  the  Gray,  is  well  worthy 
of  reproduction  at  this  point  in  our  story: 

BROTHER  AND  I. 
I. 
We  were  both  in  the  army,  brother  and  I, 

He  with  Sterling  Price  'neath  the  Stars  and  Bars; 
I  was  with  Rosecrans,  bearing-  on  high 

Tlie  banner  of  Union,  the  Stripes  and  Stars — 
He  witla  the  Stars  and  Bars,  1  witli  the  Stripes  and  Stars. 

II. 
He  marclied  nortli  from  the  Pelican  state, 

With  the  Buckeye  boys  1  marched  to  the  south; 
We  met  on  the  field,  and  it  was  our  fate 

To  shed  our  blood  at  the  cannon's  mouth — 
1  for  the  North  and  he  for  the  South. 

III. 
Both  of  us  fought  for  what  we  thought  right,  ; 

But  of  duty  each  took  a  different  view; 
Both  of  us  entered  the  perilous  fight 
And  did  our  duty  as  patriots  do — 
But  he  wore  the  Gray  and  I  wore  the  Blue. 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  85 

IV. 
Thus  full  four  years  of  strife,  blood  and  tears 

Passed  wearily  over  the  land  of  our  love 
The  North  filled  with  dread,  the  South  full  of  fears. 

The  battle-smoke  tilling  the  heavens  above, 
The  clash  of  arms— in  the  land  of  our  love. 

V. 
But  the  war  came  to  a  close  at  last,  and 

1  went  home  with  the  laurels  I'd  won; 
Brother  went  south  to  the  Pelican  land 

In  the  gloom  of  defeat,  his  cause  undone— 
I  w  ith  my  tattered  tlajj— Hag  he  had  none. 

VI. 
I  was  received  by  the  multitude 

With  open  arms,  with  shouts  and  hurrahs; 
But  my  brother's  lot  was  sad  as  he  stood 

Amid  his  friends  who  mourned  tlic  lost  cause — 
He  honored  in  silence,  1  with  applause. 

VII. 
My  brother  indeed,  was  as  brave  and  true 

To  the  cause  he  espoused  as  I  to  mine; 
He  fought  as  patriots  alwavs  do 

When  they  feel  they  niust  tight  or  else  resign 
Their  claim  to  honor  and  rights  divine. 

Vlll. 
He  staked  his  life  for  a  cause  that  went  down 

1  staked  mine  for  the  Union  for  aye; 
But  when  he  surrendered  (in  honor  bound 

to  support  the  old  tlag)  he  went  his  way 
True  to  his  honor  and  true  to  this  day. 

IX. 
And  now  that  the  awful  struggle  is  done. 

Let  the  angel  of  peace  assert  her  might, 
Cementing  our  hearts  and  making  us  one. 

Forgetting  the  bitterness  of  the  tight 
When  brother  slew  brother  and  thought  it  right. 

X. 

Let  the  awful  past  be  burled  from  sight 

As  our  comrades  so  noble,  brave  and  true 

Arc  buried  on  fields  where  they  made  the  brave  fight. 
Keeping  their  virtues  alone  in  view— 

The  chivalrous  Gray  and  generous  Blue. 


86 


C>4ATTHEJV  TETERS 


^•'■^' 


"Under  the  laurel,  the  Blue, 
Under  the  willow,  the  Gray.' 


A  F0T{EIGN  IMMIGRANT 


87 


MOTHER   ROBERTS — A   CENTENARIAN. 

In  1873,  when  Mother  Roberts  was 
eig'hty-two  years  of  ag"e,  she  had  out- 
lived all  of  her  family  and  relatives  ex- 
cept a  grand  niece,  and  wealth  she  had 
none. 

Although  she 
had  fought  well 
and  bravely  the 
battle  of  life, 
meeting  ob- 
stacles greater 
than  those  en- 
countered on  the 
field  of  battle, 
there  was  no  Na- 
tional Bureau 
where  she  might 
apply  for  a  pen- 
sion with  which 
to  support  her 
tottering  frame 

until    her    spirit     mother  Roberts,  102  Years. 

could  flee  its  earthly  bondage.  She  had 
laid  her  wealth  at  the  feet  of  noble  ser- 
vice to  her  kind.  Her  jewels  were  reg- 
istered in  heaven,  not  in  government 
bonds  nor  in  earthly  treasure. 


88  (MATTHEIV  TETERS 

It  came  to  the  knowledg^e  of  Matthew 
and  Clara  Peters  that  Mother  Roberts 
was  to  be  sent  to  the  poor  house  for  care 
the  rest  of  her  already  prolonged  life. 
"Bring-  her  here,"  said  Clara.  "Yes," 
echoed  Matthew,  "we  will  bring-  her  here. 
She  shall  have  the  cosiest  corner  in  our 
hearts  and  home,  and  the  tender  care  and 
love  she  meted  out  to  the  street  gamin 
shall  be  returned  to  her  an  hundred  fold, 
if  possible." 

It  was  a  kind  Providence  that  gave  her 
this  home  during  the  long  evening  of  her 
life.  From  this  loving  shelter  on  a  clear, 
beautiful  day,  at  high  noon,  January  6th, 
1894,  this  venerable  saint  at  the  age  of 
one  hundred  and  two  years  and  five 
months,  passed  into  rest  eternal. 

For  twenty-one  years  she  was  the  be- 
loved and  honored  guest  of  the  beautiful 
home  of  the  street  gamin  for  whom  she 
had  cared  nearly  half  a  century  before. 
No  parent  ever  received  from  affectionate 
children  richer  love  or  tenderer  care  and 
ministrations  than  were  bestowed  upon 
"Mother"  Roberts  by  those  in  whose 
home  her  lot  was  cast. 

A  large  concourse  of  friends  came  to 
pay  honor  and  tribute  to  this  noble  life, 
summoned  by  the  follov/ing  notice: 


A  FOT^EIGN  IMMIGRANT  89 


MRS.    ANISE    SHARPE    ROBERTS. 

'Born 

in  Newtown,  Conn.,  August  10,  17'M. 

Died 

in  Watseka,  Illinois,  January  (>,  1804, 

at  the  home  of  Maj.  M.  H.  Peters. 

Funeral  Serz'ices 

at  the  M.  E.  Church,  Monday,  January  8,  1 8")4, 

at  1  o'clock  p.  m., 

conducted  hy  Rev.  R.  B.  Williams, 

assisted  by  Rev.  Samuel  Liifht. 

The  remains  will  be  interred  in  the 

G.  A.  R.  Cemetery. 

Sweet  singers  chanted  at  the  gfrave  the 
poetical  tribute  of  the  g"amin-son: 

ON  THE  DEATH  OF  MOTHER  ROBERTS. 
Her  wasted  frame  will  be  consijjned  to  dust 

From  which  it  spranj;; 
Her  sainted  soul  ascend  to  God,  the  Just, 

Of  whom  she  sang. 
And  there,  upon  that  bright  eternal  shore 
Slie'll  meet  and  greet  her  loved  ones  gone  before 
To  dwell  in  love  and  peace  forevermore. 

Oh,  may  her  holy  faith  and  trust 

Be  our  triumph  over  death; 

So  when  the  summons  comes  at  last 

We,  too,  may  pass  as  she  has  passed 

In  faith  and  trust  and  triumph  grand 

Into  the  blessed  spirit  land, 

Once  more  to  grasp  her  sainted  hand; 

No  more  to  grieve,  no  more  to  part. 

To  feel  no  more  the  anguished  heart; 

No  more  to  weep,  no  more  to  sigh. 

No  more  to  suffer  or  to  die; 

But  there  to  live  in  joy  and  peace 

While  God  shall  give  our  joy  increase 

As  time  rolls  to  eternity— 

Our  bliss  confirmed  eternally. 


90  CMATTHEiy  TETERS 

Farewell,  dear  Mother;  few  the  days 

Ere  we  shall  meet  to  join  in  praise 

Of  Him  who  said  "Come  unto  me, 

A  mansion  is  prepared  for  thee — 

To  thee  a  mansion  shall  be  given 

Not  made  of  hands,  high  in  the  heaven." 

There  we  shall  meet, 

There  we  shall  greet; 
Oh,  blessed  hope,  oh,  promise  sweet— 
Though  here  we  part,  there  we  shall  meet. 

Farewell,  dear  Mother,  while  you  wait 
Our  coming  at  the  pearly  gate, 
Oh,  may  in  life  our  purpose  be 
To  live  beyond  with  God  and  thee. 

In  these  days  when  the  grace  of  ten- 
der ministrations  needs  cultivating-  and 
multiplying",  the  author  may  be  pardoned 
for  printing-  the  letter  that  announced  to 
her  the  death  of  this  noble  Mother,  that 
the  curtain  may  be  lifted  and  the  world 
see  that  the  g-reatest  thing-  in  the  world 
is  love — and  its  service. 

Watseka,  III.,  Jan.  18,  1894. 
Mrs.  Helen  M.  Gougar,  LaFayette,  Ind. 

Dear  Friend: — You  intimated  in  your 
last  letter  that  you  expected  to  bear 
from  me  in  reg-ard  to  Mother's  last  days 
and  death.  She  passed  away  sweetly, 
calmly,  peacefully,  as  might  a  confiding- 
babe  in  its  mother's  arms,  her  hands  in 
mine.  The  last  breath  left  her  lips  just 
as  the  clock  struck  two  in  the  afternoon 
of  January  6,  1894.     She  had  been  grad- 


A  FOT^EIGN  IMMIGRANT  91 

iially  sinking-  for  several  days,  and  as  we 
feared  she  niiyht  die  at  any  moment,  we 
watched  her  constantly;  and  frequently 
our  little  family  would  surround  her  bed- 
side, expecting-  the  end.  We  knew  it 
had  come  that  morning.  There  were  oc- 
casional moans,  as  of  a  child  in  its  slum- 
bers, but  for  the  last  hour  there  was  no 
sound  but  a  gradual  shortening-  of  her 
feeble  breath  until  the  last  gasp,  when 
there  was  a  slight  quiver  of  the  thin  lips, 
and  she  slipped  away  from  this  life. 

I  can  really  think  of  nothing  which  I 
consider  of  special  interest  concerning- 
Mother's  last  moments  unless  the  above 
be  so.  The  story  of  her  noble  life  is 
known  to  you. 

At  the  funeral  hosts  came  to  pay  the 
worthy  tributes  of  respect  and  affection. 

Althoug-h  we  had  long-  anticipated 
Mother's  death,  yet  how  hard  it  seems  for 
us  to  reconcile  ourselves  to  the  new  con- 
ditions which  surround  us.  I  am  often 
aroused  in  my  sleep  thinking  I  heard 
Mother  call.  But  all  these  dreams  will 
pass  away  in  time. 

Isn't  it  sad  to  reflect — after  all  our 
efforts,  all  our  love,  all  our  cherished  as- 
sociations here — how  soon  we  shall  be 
forg-otteu  by  those  who  knew  us  on  earth. 


92  OA/iTTHElV  TETERS 

And  yet,  when  we  reflect  again,  we  are 
cheered  by  the  thoug^ht  that  after  all  we 
are  still  linked  throug^h  this  little  span 
of  earth's  experiences  to  that  spiritual 
life  which  knows  no  death  in  company 
with  c<mg"enial  souls  who  kncAv  and  loved 
us  here.  The  idea  of  eternal  death  (an- 
nihilation) is  abhorrent — at  least  to  me. 
There  is  something-  within  us — a  part  of 
us — call  it  soul  or  what  you  please — that 
hopes,  trusts  and  long-s  for  an  undying^ 
future;  and  for  me,  Mother  Nature  g^ives 
every  evidence  that  this  hope,  this  long- 
ing- shall  be  realized — for  in  nature  noth- 
ing is  destroyed,  however  its  form  or 
conditions  may  be  chang-ed.  If  this  is 
true  of  material  thing's  as  taught  in 
philosophy,  why  is  it  not  a  hig-her  truth, 
too  high  perhaps  for  our  finite  compre- 
hension with  regard  to  things  spiritual, 
intangible  and  inexplainable. 

I  need  no  sacred  volume  to  assure  my 
faith  in  a  future  existence — others  may — 
yet  I  could  not  discredit  nor  discard  the 
holy  precepts  and  teachings  of  the  Bible. 
We  shall  all  be  with  Mother  ere  long. 

But  I  must  cease  this  moralizing  or  it 
may  lead  me  too  far. 

Excuse  this  long  indefinite  letter,  and 
believe  me,  very  truly  your  friend, 

M.  H.  Peters. 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT 


93 


XL 

SEARCHING    FOR    A    BIRTHPLACE. 


OBER-OTTF.RBACH. 


! 


He 


T  had  long-  been  the  cherished  de- 
sire of  Matthew  to  visit  the  Fath- 
erland and  if  possible  learn  some- 
thing of  his  ancestry  of  which  he 
had  no  knowledge, 
realized  the  difficulties  of  the  un- 


dertaking, for  he  had  but  a  faint  idea 
of  the  place  from  which  his  people  had 
emigrated.  He  thought  he  had  heard  his 
father  speak  of  Ober-Otterbach,  Landau 
and  Strasburg,  at  least  such  was  a  vague- 
memory  of  his  childhood. 

He  sought  diligently  for  Ober-Otter- 
bach on  the  map,  in  geography  and  ga- 
zetteer, and  he  questioned  Germans  and 
French    alike   as  to  the  location  of   his 


94  m/fTTHEH^  TETERS 

supposed  birthplace,  but  all  in  vain.  No 
one  had  ever  heard  of  Ober-Otterbach, 
country,  village,  city,  whichever  it  might 
be. 

But  Landau  and  Strasburg-  were  old 
historic  cities,  and  once  there  he  surely 
could  find  some  clue  to  his  supposed 
birthplace.  Not  only  had  he  heard  his 
father  speak  of  these  famous  cities, 
which  have  been  made  footballs  between 
France  and  Germany,  first  belonging  to 
one  and  then  to  the  other,  but  he  spoke 
the  French  language,  although  German 
was  the  household  tongue.  These  things 
led  him  to  believe  that  Ober-Otterbach 
must  be  in  Elsace  or  in  Die  Pflaz  (the 
Palatinate),  adjoining  territory. 

With  these  impressions  well  estab- 
lished in  mind,  February,  1895,  found  our 
indomitable  hero  aboard  S.  S.  New  York, 
bound  for  Southampton,  England. 

Without  unnecessary  delay  he  made 
his  way  to  Paris  via  Havre,  France. 

The  farther  he  traveled  the  more  fre- 
quently he  asked  Germans  and  French 
alike  of  the  location  of  Ober-Otterbach, 
only  to  note  the  shake  of  the  head  and 
mystified  look  of  total  ignorance  of  the 
place. 

So  on  to  Strasburg  he  went,  sure  that 


A  FOT^EIGN  IMMIGRANT  95 

once  there  he  ^vould  be  able  to  find  the 
place  of  his  seeking-. 

As  soon  as  located  in  the  hotel  St. 
Gothard,  he  made  the  usuul  inquiry  of 
the  ubiquitous  clerk,  only  to  receive  the 
discouraging"  statement  that  though  born 
and  reared  in  Strasburg-,  he  had  never 
heard  of  Ober-Otterbach. 

Landlord  and  guests  were  questioned 
and  notwithstanding  all  took  a  deep  per- 
sonal interest,  which  is  a  part  of  the 
common  courtesies  of  the  old  countries, 
it  was  to  no  avail.  No  one  knew  more 
than  himself,  indeed  none  had  ever  heard 
the  name  spoken  as  in  any  part  of 
Deutschland. 

The  weariness  of  much  travel  had  ag-- 
g-ravated  the  malady  of  the  army-mu- 
tilated limb,  and  a  stay  in  the  public  hos- 
pital, which  is  one  of  the  largest  in  all 
Europe,  was  made  necessary.  Here  one 
of  the  white-bonnetted  angels  of  mercy, 
sister  of  charity,  a  member  of  that  great 
army  of  saintly  women,  whose  g^entle 
touch,  quiet  manner,  soft  tones  and 
sweet  words  of  consolation  have  smoothed 
the  pillow,  slacked  the  thirst  and  calmed 
the  troubled  hearts  of  millions  of  suffer- 
ers in  tent,  on  field  or  in  hospital,  was 
Matthew's  constant  attendant. 


96  (M/ITTHEiy  TETERS 

Far  from  home  and  friends,  sick  among 
strang-ers,  suffering"  from  pain,  mental 
as  well  as  physical,  disappointed  in  his 
fondest  hopes,  unable  to  converse  with 
those  about  him,  whose  lang-uage  and 
customs  were  foreign  to  his  own,  he  lived 
over  in  his  waking  hours  the  sorrows  of 
his  childhood,  the  experiences  of  the 
tent,  field  and  hospital,  and  suffered  the 
greatest  affliction  of  all,  the  dreaded  dis- 
ease of  homesickness,  but  with  no 
thought,  however,  of  abandoning  his 
search  for  his  birthplace.  For  should 
he  fail  in  his  search,  had  he  not  been  well 
repaid  for  his  journey  in  the  sights  that 
he  had  witnessed  already? 

He  determined,  as  soon  as  the  doctors 
would  give  their  permit  for  him  to  leave 
the  hospital,  that  Landau  should  be  vis- 
ited, for  surely  he  would  get  some  desired 
knowledge  there. 

About  ready  for  his  departure  from  the 
St.  Gothard  hotel,  the  clerk  told  a  com- 
pany of  traveling  men  the  mission  of  der 
Amerikaner.  With  thoughtful  mien,  one 
man  placed  his  hand  on  the  shoulder  of 
the  foreign  guest,  and  said  while  he  had 
never  heard  of  such  a  place,  he  would 
soon  find  out  if  there  is  such  an  one.  He 
politely  tipped  his  hat  and  hurried  out  of 


A  FO%ElGhl  IMMIGRANT  97 

the  room  upon  the  street;  soon  he  re- 
turned, holding-  a  small  piece  of  paper  in 
his  hand,  his  face  all  ag-low.  He  had 
been  to  the  post  office. 

"I  have  found  it,"  he  said,  excitedly, 
and  hastened  to  place  the  slip  of  paper 
in  the  hand  that  grasped  it  with  eag^er- 
ness.     It  read: 

"Ober-Otterbach,  near  Weissenburg-  in 
Elsace,  but  it  is  in  the  Palatine." 

Weissenburg-  was  but  a  short  distance 
to  the  north  of  Strasburg-  and  on  the  di- 
rect route  to  Landau  by  rail. 

Ober-Otterbach  was  an  obscure,  insig-- 
nificantdorf-villag-e,  off  the  railroad,  lying 
in  a  mountain  valley,  and  hence  it  was 
unknown  to  the  outside  world. 

The  relief  that  came  to  the  almost  de- 
spairing' traveler  was  akin  to  an  escape 
from  some  impending-  danger.  While  his 
life  was  not  at  stake,  much  of  his  worldly 
happiness  was,  and  none  ever  becomes 
so  lost  to  the  love  of  kin  and  country  as 
to  forever  forget  or  lose  their  identity 
without  a  pang  of  regret. 

A  ride  on  the  railway  winding  in  and 
out  among  the  romantic  valleys  and  hills, 
with  the  quaint  old  stone  buildings,  with 
here  and  there  a  dorf,  with  its  narrow 
streets  and  small  homes,  gable  ends  to 


98  (M/iTTHElV  TETERS 

the  streets,  squads  of  neatly  dressed  sol- 
diers, to  be  seen  at  all  the  old  country 
stations,  carts  drawn  by  mastiffs  and 
man  in  the  same  harness,  and  women 
wearing  short  dresses  and  wooden  shoes, 
leading-  children,  old  before  their  time  as 
indicated  by  their  careworn  faces,  these 
and  many  other  sights  provided  enter- 
tainment that  made  the  two  hours  ride 
seem  short,  notwithstanding  the  eager- 
ness of  our  hero  to  consummate  his 
mission. 

He  stepped  into  the  motley  throng 
which  here,  as  elsewhere,  in  the  old 
countries,  crowded  the  depot,  and  was 
soon  on  his  way  to  his  hotel. 

The  path  led  through  a  common,  then 
a  park  and  then  over  a  bridge  under 
which  a  sparkling  stream  danced  over 
stones  and  pebbles  on  its  way  down  out 
of  the  mountain  to  pour  its  pearly  waters 
into  the  legendary  Rhine  where  it  min- 
gles with  the  seductive  strains  of  the 
Lorelie. 

"Lauterbach"  said  the  porter,  as  he 
pointed  with  evident  local  pride  to  the 
purling  brook  below.  "Lauterbach," 
exclaimed  Matthew,  is  this  the  stream 
that  has  given  its  name  to  the  most  pop- 
ular of  all  German  songs,  an  air  as  fa- 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGR/INT 


99 


miliar  to  Americans  and  Eng-lish  as  it  is 
to  Alascians,  a  melody  as  natural,  mu- 
sical and  inspiring"  as  the  breezes  of  the 
Vosges  mountains  from  whose  sides  it 
hails,  and  then  how  often  he  had  heard 
his  father  sing  it,  and  now — the  son, 
from  the  sweet  memory  of  the  father's 
lullaby,  heard  the  echo  in  the  song  of 
the  brook  under  his  very  feet. 

For  a  moment  he  stood  entranced  for 
he  had  never  dreamed  that  he  would  find 
his  birthplace  near  this  stream  of  en- 
chanting song.  So  forgetting  all  weari- 
ness, he  inadvertantly  sang,  after  the 
rollicking  notes: 


100  mATTHElV  TETERS 

And  shuffled  the  waltz,  that  caug-ht  his 
feet  with  the  gladness  of  his  soul. 

FINDING  KIN. 

Only  those  who  have  tried  the  experi- 
ment can  fully  understand  the  halting 
g-ait  of  the  tong-ue  when  mingfling-  with 
those  whose  ancestors  inherited  diif  erent 
languages  at  the  confusion  of  Babylon. 

Withal  Matthew  had  managed  to  find 
the  place  of  his  search,  now  how  should 
he  find  kith  and  kin,  if  indeed  he  had  any 
to  find? 

He  had  consented  to  remain  at  the  ho- 
tel that  night,  for  the  sun  was  low  on  his 
arrival,  and  in  the  morning  he  would  re- 
new his  journey  by  post  chaise. 

No  longer  feeling  anxiety  about  the 
final  outcome  of  his  efforts,  he  was  pre- 
pared to  enjoy  whatever  might  present 
itself  as  curious  and  entertaining. 

Soon  after  supper  the  guests  of  the 
evening  began  to  arrive  in  the  spacious 
corridors  of  the  hotel,  which  is  the  popu- 
lar resort  for  the  people,  according  to 
classes,  this  one  being  a  resort  for  the 
upper  classes.  Business  men  and  pro- 
fessionals in  full  dress,  army  officers  in 
full  uniform,  sword,  sash  and  all,  came 
in  couples  and  groups,  seated  themselves 


A  FCmElG'N  IMMIGRANT  101 

about  the  tables  and  ordered  their  schop- 
pen  of  beer  or  liter  of  wine,  which  they 
sipped  at  intervals,  while  they  smoked 
and  talked  incessantly.  The  Amerikaner 
sat  apart,  looked  and  listened,  noting-  oc- 
casional g-lances  from  the  company 
directed  towards  him,  accompanied  with 
subdued  remarks. 

The  utmost  decorum  was  preserved  to- 
wards the  strang-er  throughout  the  even- 
ing", when  at  ten  o'clock  the  most  cordial 
and  friendly  "g^ute  nacht"  was  spoken 
and  the  guests  departed. 

Promptly  at  the  hour  appointed  the 
next  morning"  the  postman  called  for  the 
passeng"ers,  not  with  the  mail  coach,  but 
with  a  double  sleig-h,  as  a  furious  snow 
storm  had  prevailed  throug^hout  the 
night.  Amid  the  blasts  of  wind  and 
clang"  of  church  bells,  for  it  was  Sunday, 
they  drove  out  of  town,  up  hill,  then 
down,  each  succeeding"  hill  higher  than 
its  predecessor,  until  finally  reaching"  a 
considerable  elevation  the  postman  halted 
and  pointing"  down  into  the  valley  said 
to  his  companion,  in  German,  "below  lies 
Ober-Otterbach."  And  there  nestling" 
among"  the  spur-hills  of  the  Vosg"es  moun- 
tains lay  the  quaint  village  in  its  ro- 
mantic setting.     The  horses  were  halted 


102  mATTHElV  TETERS 

to  allow  the  stranger  to  gaze  across  the 
valley  down  upon  the  village  which  for 
generations  maybe,  had  been  the  home 
of  his  ancestors.  The  roofs  were  white 
with  snow  so  deep  as  to  almost  obliter- 
ate the  outlines  of  the  houses,  except  the 
school  house  with  its  turret  and  the  old 
church  with  its  slender,  towering  steeple. 

On  the  sides  of  the  hills  could  be  seen 
the  terraced  vineyards  and  in  the  dis- 
tance the  timbered  mountains,  all  white 
with  snow.  Down  the  hill  they  went  and 
were  soon  safely  lodged  at  the  Gasthaus, 
Dinner  was  promptly  announced  and 
Matthew  found  himself  in  a  small  room 
alone  before  an  elaborate  spread,  while 
all  other  guests  were  dining  in  the  gen- 
eral reception  room. 

The  honor  of  dining  alone  was  con- 
ferred because  the  stranger  was  a  dis- 
tinguished guest,  an  American,  the  first 
to  ever  set  foot  within  the  gates  of  Ober- 
Otterbach! 

At  evening  the  clouds  had  lifted  and 
the  snow  ceased.  The  usual  company 
began  to  assemble  at  the  hotel  after  sup- 
per, and  the  postman  companion  came 
early  with  two  gentlemen  who  received 
the  American  most  cordially.  They  were 
cousins  of   George   Peters,   who  nearly 


A  FOTiEIGN  IMMIGRANT  t03 

half  a  century  before  had  g^one  from 
them  and  had  been  almost  forgotten  by 
them. 

The  news  soon  spread  that  the  stran- 
ger was  in  town  and  many  called  to  see 
der  Amerikaner,  and  left  to  spread  the 
news  further.  Soon  the  information 
Matthew  sought  was  secured,  as  many 
of  the  older  inhabitants  knew  the  parents 
and  g-randparents  of  the  American.  He 
found,  still  standing"  and  serving"  the 
people,  the  ancient  mill  erected  by  his 
grandfather  Peters.  At  first  view  it 
looked  like  an  old  fortified  castle,  so 
large  and  massive,  surrounded  by  a 
thick  high  stone  wall  which  was  entered 
through  a  huge  gateway,  hung  with 
double  doors,  the  whole  structure  be- 
speaking the  sturdy,  thoroughness  of 
character  which  had  trickled  through  the 
blood  down  to  the  third  generation  and 
found  its  vent  in  the  indomitable  will 
that  had  led  Matthew  through  the  mazes 
of  his  checkered  life. 

"Your  grandfather  was  an  honorable 
man,  and  rich,  too,"  was  the  universal 
verdict  of  the  older  inhabitants  who  still 
remained  to  recount  the  past.  Many 
there  were  who  remembered  the  depar- 
ture of  his  parents  to  the  new  country, 


J04  CM/iTTHElV  TETERS 

but  none  could  tell  the  year  as  it  was  so 
long-,  long-  ag-o.  The  house  in  which 
Georg-e  Peters  kept  a  bakery  was  pointed 
out,  and  like  all  others  in  these  secluded 
valleys,  so  constructed  as  to  defy  the 
ravag-es  of  time.  The  home,  however 
crude  or  humble  to  these  rug-g^ed,  honest, 
hardworking-  mountain  dwellers,  is  the 
castle  and  fortress,  where 

"At  night  returning-  every  labor  sped. 
He  sits  him  down  the  monarch  of  a  shed; 

Smiles  by  his  cheerful  fire,  and  round  surveys 
His  children's  look  that  brightens  in  the  blaze." 

On  Monday  morning-  in  company  with 
one  of  the  elder  cousins,  the  office  of  the 
Burgomeister  was  visited;  with  great 
dignity  of  bearing-,  for  office  holding-  ex- 
alteth  to  honor  in  these  parts,  where 
modern  politics  have  not  yet  invaded, 
the  Burg-omeister,  or  Mayor,  produced 
several  ponderous  leather  bound  volumes 
which  he  placed  upon  the  table  before 
his  g-uests  and  assisted  in  finding-  the 
records  of  the  family.  It  consisted  of 
the  record  of  the  births  of  grandparents, 
his  father,  two  brothers  and  two  sisters, 
all  of  whom  had  gone  to  America  many 
years  before,  except  the  grandmother 
whose  body  rested  in  the  kirk  yard  near 
by.  But  what  about  his  mother  and 
himself?     Must    he   return  to   America 


A  FOTiEIGN  IMMIGRANT  105 

without  learning-  whether  he  was  native 
or  foreifjn  born,  for  this  was  a  part  of 
the  history  in  vvhicli  he  had  a  deep  in- 
terest. To  be  sure  he  had  served  four 
years  under  the  stars  and  stripes  in  de- 
fense of  the  Union.  He  had  shed  his 
blood  and  he  bore  the  scars  of  battle  on 
his  body  and  he  carried  an  honorable 
discharg-e  from  the  volunteer  army  of  the 
United  States  as  passports  to  honorable 
citizenship,  and  he  almost  wished  he 
mig-ht  find  that  he  was  American  born. 
He  did  not  lament  the  place  where  he 
might  have  been  born,  but  he  did  lament 
the  want  of  knowledg^e  as  to  where  that 
place  was.  It  was  the  uncertainty  that 
perplexed  him  most.  Nig-htfall  found 
the  searchers  ag-ain  in  the  midst  of  the 
usual  company  at  the  villagfe  hotel. 
Among-  these  loung-ers  he  found  an  old 
gentleman  to  whom  he  related  his  story, 
through  the  assistance  of  his  hospitable 
cousin  acting  as  interpreter.  The  old 
man's  face  brightened  as  he  listened. 

Why,  he  was  a  bosom  friend  of  George 
Peters,  attended  his  wedding,  knew  the 
very  house  in  which  the  child  Matthew 
was  born.  It  was  not  in  Ober-Otterbach 
but  in  Neider  (lower)  Otterbach,  six 
miles   down    the    valley.      This    was    a 


106  (MATTHEIV  TETERS 

cheerful  endinfj-  for  the  day's  despond- 
ency, and  Matthew  grasped  the  hand  of 
the  old  man  and  thanked  him  as  the 
blood  ting-led  in  his  veins  and  his  heart 
throbbed  as  he  heard  the  coveted  news. 

A  sleig^h  was  chartered  and  at  an  early 
hour  the  next  morning-  a  double  team  of 
strong-  horses,  driven  by  a  dauntless 
mountaineer,  carried  the  cousins  down 
the  valley  to  the  quaint  little  old  town 
of  Neider-Otterbach  with  its  single  street, 
following-  the  winding-s  of  the  valley  and 
the  same  brook  which  turned  the  wheel 
of  his  g-randfather's  ancient  mill. 

The  first  object  to  attract  attention  as 
they  entered  the  village  from  its  lower 
end  was  a  shrine,  before  which  Matthew 
afterwards  learned  his  ancestors  for  gen- 
erations had  bowed  in  adoration.  It 
represented  the  crucified  Savior,  life  size, 
with  a  larg-e  bible  open  at  the  foot  of  the 
black  cross,  a  passag-e  of  scripture  in 
larg^e  letters  being-  plainly  visible  to  the 
passer-by,  the  g-roup  being-  enclosed  with 
a  low  iron  railing-. 

They  wound  their  way  throug-h  this  nar- 
row street,  passed  the  single  church  and 
entered  the  school  house,  where  all  public 
records  were  kept.  As  they  ascended  the 
broad  stone  steps,   which  led  to  a  wide 


A  F0%EIGN  IMMIGRANT  t07 

hallway,  extending-  the  whole  leng-th  of 
the  building-,  the  American's  curiosity- 
was  attracted  to  the  peculiar  arrange- 
ment of  the  building.  On  either  side 
was  a  rack  filled  with  pig-eon  holes, 
something-  after  the  style  of  our  post 
office  boxes,  only  larg-er;  in  these  the 
children  deposited  their  wooden  shoes 
before  entering  the  school  room,  the 
g-irls  on  one  side,  the  boys  on  the  other. 

It  required  but  a  moment  to  open  the 
old  records,  and  sure  enoug-h  there  was 
the    record    of    the    birth,   which    read: 

"Matthew  Peter,  born  June  6,  1843, 
babe,  America,"  indicating-  that  he  was 
this  early  taken  to  America.  Tlie  entry 
was  fresh  in  the  mind  of  the  Burg-o- 
meister,  for  it  was  he  who  made  it. 
Looking-  out  of  the  office  window  across 
the  street,  the  house  which  was  his 
birthplace  was  pointed  out,  this  having- 
been  formerly  the  home  of  the  Moock 
family  to  which  his  mother  belong-ed, 
her  name  being-  Mag-dalena  Moock. 

At  last  our  hero  was  happy;  the  object 
of  his  mission  was  accomplished.  His 
childhood  impressions  had  served  him 
well;  he  visited  the  house  and  strayed 
through  its  tiny  rooms;  he  talked  with 
many  old  acquaintances  of  his  family 
and  found  many  kin. 


108  m/ITTHElV  TETERS 

The  record  of  his  ancestry  was  one  of 
frugality,  honor  and  intelligence,  and  he 
was  fully  satisfied.  He  made  the  return 
trip  with  a  light  heart  and  in  a  happy 
frame  of  mind.  Many  were  the  fancies 
woven  as  he  dashed  back  over  the  hills, 
each  hill  with  its  legend,  every  valley 
with  its  romance,  every  village  with  a 
history. 

Yes,  he  had  found  his  birthplace  but 
by  the  merest  accident.  How  was  it 
that  almost  in  the  moment  of  despair  he 
should  chance  to  meet  the"  venerable 
Herr  Daum?  How  was  it  that  he  should 
chance  to  meet  Hugh  Venender,  the 
traveling  man  at  Strasburg?  Was  the 
babe,  the  gamin  orphan,  the  citizen,  the 
soldier,  the  patriot,  under  the  guidance 
of  some  good  angel,  whose  unseen  hand 
had  protected  him  through  the  many 
vicissitudes  that  had  beset  him  from  the 
cradle  to  the  return  and  visit  to  his  birth- 
place?    Who  can  tell? 

The  return  to  America  included  visits 
to  Landau  and  the  leading  cities  of 
Germany,  Prance,  Switzerland  and  Great 
Britain,  the  trip  having  occupied  but 
two  months,  but  having  satisfied  the  de- 
sire of  a  lifetime,  the  knowledge  of  his 
ancestry  and  birthplace. 


A  FOT{ElGN  IMMIGRANT  109 

XII. 
A   MUNICIPAL   ELECTION. 

<<liia»«TOilOPULAR  g-overnment   is  still  on 
trial,  and  the  man  who  will  en- 
g^ag-e  in  or  encourage   any   form 
of  political  dishonor  is  a  traitor 
both    to    God    and    man,"    said 
Matthew,  with  his  eyes  flashing-  indigna- 
tion at  the  request  of  men  who  stood  be- 
fore him  begg-ing-  him  to  accept  the  nom- 
ination for  Mayor  of  his  home  municipal- 
ity,   on    a   platform   that   violated   good 
morals  and  patriotism. 

"Sirs,"  continued  he,  with  fervor  of 
speech,  "municipal  corruption  has  been 
the  bane  of  every  g-overnment  and 
throug-h  it  the  masses  have  suffered  the 
long-  train  of  human  woes  that  have 
marked  the  decadence  and  final  over- 
throw of  every  g-overnment  that  has  left 
the  path  of  rectitude  for  the  demands  of 
temporary  expediency.  If  I  accept  a 
nomination  at  the  hands  of  your  party 
for  chief  executive  of  this  city,  I  shall  do 
it  only  with  the  understanding-  that  my 
oath  of  office  to  enforce  the  laws  as  I 
find  them  and  administer  justice  to  all, 


no  iMATTHElV  TETERS 

promoting'  rig-hteousness  in  this  com- 
munity, so  far  as  my  authority  g"oes,  be 
held  sacred  before  God  and  my  con- 
stituents!" 

This  declaration  was  made  with  an 
emphasis  that  left  no  doubt  as  to  the  po- 
litical honor  and  loyalty  of  the  man 
whose  name  was  sought  as  a  possible 
winning-  candidate  for  the  mayorality  of 
the  city.  His  interviewers  were  three 
influential  men,  two  of  whom  were 
officers  in  the  two  larg^est  churches  in  the 
city,  and  native  born  citizens  of  their 
state. 

The  issue  in  the  pending-  election  was 
whether  or  no  license  should  be  g-ranted 
to  sell  intoxicating-  liquors  for  the  ensu- 
ing- year  within  the  precincts  of  the  mu- 
nicipality. 

These  wars  were  wag-ed  each  annual 
election  and  men  were  nominated  for  and 
ag-ainst  this  issue  alone. 

The  office  of  mayor  was  of  unusual  im- 
portance in  this  pending-  contest,  as  the 
incumbent  would  have  the  casting-  vote 
between  the  contending-  members  of  his 
council  when  the  question  of  extending 
license  was  to  be  decided. 

"Well,"  said  Deacon  Longprayers,  "I 
believe  that  men  should  enforce  the  laws. 


A  FCfHElGn  IMMIGRANT  1 1 1 

when  practicable,  but  when  we  all  know 
that  it  is  impossible  to  make  no-license 
prohibit  drunkenness  and  so  long'  as  in- 
toxicating liquors  are  to  be  sold  anyway 
in  spite  of  the  law,  we  may  as  well  have 
the  $10,000  revenue  from  the  saloons  with 
which  to  pay  the  expense  of  local  govern- 
ment, as  to  have  no  license,  no  revenue 
and  as  much  drunkenness  as  we  would 
if  license  was  granted." 

Having  delivered  himself  of  these  an- 
archist sentiments  with  an  air  of  political 
and  business  rectitude,  he  glanced  into 
the  face  of  his  companions,  who  assented 
to  his  opinions  with  nods  of  the  head  and 
an  air  of  complacency  which  showed  that 
they  believed  fully  that  party  victory 
was  more  to  be  regarded  than  party 
morals  or  individual  righteousness. 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  Elder  Cash,  "senti- 
ment will  do  to  talk  about  but  it  is  poor 
business  policy  these  times.  Prohibition 
don't  prohibit  and  it  never  will,  and  we 
may  as  well  let  the  saloon-keepers  pay 
the  cost  of  the  damage  they  do.  Yes, 
let  them  undo  with  their  money  some  of 
the  harm  they  do  with  their  poison  grog; 
they  will  do  the  harm  anyway  and  the 
taxpayers  will  be  burdened  to  care  for 
the  paupers  and  criminals  they  make  in 


112  mATTHEM^TETERS 

the  community.  Yes  let  us  have  the  li- 
cense money  by  all  means,"  emphasizing- 
his  argument  by  an  impetuous  stroke  of 
his  cane  on  the  floor  before  him.  As  he 
delivered  himself  of  these  words  he 
sought  endorsement  from  his  "brother- 
in-the-Lord,"  Deacon  Longprayers,  whose 
ready  nod  of  the  head  gave  the  speaker 
keen  satisfaction. 

"Never,  never  will  I  lend  myself  to  the 
endorsement  of  such  sentiments,  either 
in  public  or  private  life,"  said  Matthew, 
much  to  the  chagrin  and  discomfiture  of 
the  two  men  who  professed  to  follow 
Christ  but  served  Satan  whenever  the 
slightest  temptation  presented  itself. 

"I  fought  through  the  civil  war  to 
abolish  human  slavery  and  promote  peace, 
prosperity  and  happiness  for  all  the 
people,  and  I  would  rather  paralyze  my 
remaining  good  arm  than  to  wrong  my 
fellowman  and  undermine  free  institu- 
tions by  signing  the  license  for  any  man 
to  damn  a  community  by  the  indiscrimi- 
nate sale  of  intoxicating  liquors.  I  will 
never  assist  in  perpetuating  a  business 
that  is  a  greater  slavery  than  the  one 
abolished  by  force  of  arms.  No,  no,  go 
and  seek  some  other  candidate  for  your 
official  favors.     I  cannot  accept  office  at 


A  FOT^EIGN  IMMIGRANT  113 

so  great  a  sacrifice  of  principle  and  pa- 
triotism," said  Matthew,  who  turned  with 
soldierly  bearing  and  indignation  away 
from  the  presence  of  the  two  '  'good  citizen" 
anarchists,  who  excused  their  immoral 
political  conduct  by  reg^ular  attendance 
upon  the  weekly  prayer  meeting  and 
passing-  the  bread  and  the  cup  at  the 
communion  service  in  their  respective 
churches. 

Matthew  soon  soug-ht  the  presence  of 
his  wife  and  rehearsed  to  her  his  experi- 
ence with  the  deacon  and  elder.  She 
listened  with  evident  pride  in  her  hus- 
band's devotion  to  principle.  She  ex- 
pressed g-reat  contempt  for  the  class  of 
men,  all  too  numerous,  who  like  the  two 
churchmen  apologize  for  political  sinning 
in  the  name  of  expediency. 

The  narrative  ended,  she  arose  and 
placed  her  hand  gently  on  the  shoulder 
of  her  husband,  planted  a  kiss  on  his 
brow  and  exclaimed:  "My  dear,  you  shall 
be  nominated  for  Mayor  on  a  no-license 
ticket,  and  you  shall  be  elected,  too,  or 
the  women  and  children  of  this  commu- 
nity will  know  why." 

"Only  that  I  may  serve  those  who 
suffer  would  I  enter  the  contest,  but  re- 
member that  women  and  children  cannot 


1 1 4  m/l  TTHEIV  TETERS 

vote,"  replied  Matthew.  "Yes,"  exclaim- 
ed Clara,  "but  women  and  children,  with 
God,  make  a  majority  even  in  municipal 
elections  where  men  alone  do  the  voting-," 
gently  tapping-  with  her  hand  the  little 
knot  of  white  ribbon  that  adorned  her 
waist  as  a  symbol  of  undying  hostility  to 
the  licensed  liquor  traffic. 

"I  must  go  now,  and  if  I  am  not  back 
to  dinner,  never  mind,  I  will  be  here  when 
my  work  is  done." 

Without  delay  she  donned  her  bonnet 
and  with  hasty  step  disappeared  up  the 
street. 

"Well,  what  can  she  and  voteless 
women  do  in  such  contests?"  murmured 
Matthew,  as  he  found  himself  alone  in 
his  home,  smiling  with  the  thought,  as 
he  arose  to  return  to  his  place  of 
business. 

The  shades  of  evening  were  lengthened 
when  Clara  returned  to  her  home.  Mat- 
thew was  waiting  her  coming  with  no 
small  degree  of  anxiety  and  curiosity,  but 
somewhat  incredulous  as  to  the  success 
of  her  mission.  With  a  laughing  twinkle 
in  her  eyes,  she  said,  without  waiting  for 
questions,  "It  is  fixed.  You  will  be  nom- 
inated and  elected,  and  let  Deacon  Long- 
prayers  and  Elder  Cash  work  against  you 


A  F0T{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  115 

if  they  dare.  The  women  will  have  them 
expelled  from  the  church,  or  they  will  let 
them  support  their  churches  and  run  their 
prayer  meetings  hereafter  by  themselves 
if  they  help  to  defeat  no-license  in  this 
election."  Her  manner  indicated  an  en- 
erg-y  of  purpose  that  in  women  betokens 
success. 


1 1 6  m^  TTHE  W  TE  TERS 

XIII. 

CAMPAIGNING. 

S  was  the  custom  iu  all  such 
municipal  contests,  numerous 
meeting's  were  held  in  all  the 
churches  and  public  halls  of  the 
city  for  the  education  of  the 
people.  The  saloon  Avas  arraigned  with 
convincing-  statistics  of  drunkenness,  dis- 
order, pauperism  and  crime  by  eloquent 
men  and  women;  little  children  paraded 
the  streets  with  banners  bearing- mottoes 
appealing-  to  voters  to  stand  by  the  home 
instead  of  the  saloon;  newspapers  that 
advocated  license  were  refused  admission 
to  the  homes  of  no-license  advocates,  and 
women  pledg-ed  themselves  not  to  make 
purchases  of  tradesmen  who  advertised 
their  wares  in  "whisky  papers."  The 
saloon  men  plotted  secretly  to  boycott 
and  destroy  the  business  of  all  men  who 
opposed  license;  drinking-  men  were  plied 
with  free  liquor  that  they  mig-ht  not  come 
under  the  influence  of  the  temperance 
workers,  and  large  sums  of  money  were 
contributed  with  which  to  purchase  the 
newspapers  and  voters  in  the  interest  of 
license. 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  ll7 

The  women  held  prayer  meetings,  dis- 
tributed literature  and  interviewed  voters. 
Everybody  was  arrayed  on  one  side  or 
the  other.  Deacon  Long-prayers  had  been 
converted  and  was  found  laboring-  for  no- 
license.  He  displayed  conspicuously  over 
his  g-ateway  during-  the  campaig^n  the 
scriptural  motto: 

"Woe  unto  the  city  builded  with  blood." 

He  had  met  with  an  incident  that  made 
a  powerful  appeal  to  his  heart  and  con- 
science and  silenced  all  arg-uments  on 
behalf  of  a  cash  value  for  the  sale  of  in- 
dulg-ences  in  drunkenness  and  anarchy. 

The  campaig-n  had  wag^ed  but  a  few 
days  when  the  deacon  was  compelled  to 
witness  one  of  the  many  home  scenes  that 
afflict  the  land  on  account  of  the  leg^alized 
curse  of  liquor  selling-.  He  had  just  fin- 
ished his  morning-  repast  and  opened  his 
bible  from  which  to  read  a  passag-e  for 
his  usual  family  devotions.  A  gentle  tap 
at  the  door  was  answered  by  him  in  per- 
son. There  stood  a  boy  about  twelve 
years  of  ag-e,  poorly  clad  and  barefooted; 
tears  had  made  tracks  down  his  begrimed 
cheeks.  With  g-reat  embarrassment  and 
deep  sorrow  the  little  fellow  asked:  "Are 
you  Deacon  Long-prayers?"  "I  am,  my 
little  son;  what   can   I   do  for  you  this 


118  (MATTHEIV  TETERS 

bright  Sabbath  morning?"  answered  the 
deacon,  tenderly. 

"Please,  sir,  will  you  go  to  the  jail  and 
read  and  pray  with  my  father;  he  is  to  be 
hung  to-morrow  for  the  murder  of  my 
mother;  pa  is  a  good  man,  but  whisky 
did  it.  If  you  do  not  read  and  pray  with 
him,  nobody  will,"  said  the  child  between 
sobs,  "and  I  want  him  prayed  with  before 
he  dies.  Pa  is  to  be  hung  to-morrow  at 
ten  o'clock,  and  the  governor  says  we  may 
have  his  body,  and  please,  sir,  will  you 
come  and  be  with  us  children  when  the 
body  is  brought  home?  We  are  very  poor 
and  have  no  friends  and  no  money,  and  if 
you  do  not  come  to  us  nobody  will;  please, 
sir,  will  you  come?" 

The  boy  told  the  deacon  where  he  lived, 
and  with  the  promise  to  comply  with  his 
requests,  the  child  went  away  and  the 
deacon  took  up  his  devotions  with  an 
earnestness  quite  unusual  for  him. 

He  went  to  the  jail  that  morning  in- 
stead of  attending  the  regular  church 
service.  He  found  the  father  of  the  af- 
flicted household  to  be  a  man  of  ordinary 
intelligence  and  fully  realizing  the  awful 
penalty  that  aw^aited  him  the  following 
day.  He  said:  "I  suppose  I  murdered  my 
good  wife,  but  I  have  no  recollection  of 


A  FOT{EIGhl  IMMIGRANT  119 

the  deed;  I  was  drunk,  they  tell  me,  when 
I  committed  the  act,  but  it  seems  impos- 
sible that  the  insanity  of  drink  could  have 
made  me  murder  the  mother  of  my  chil- 
dren and  the  wife  of  my  heart  and  young' 
manhood"  and  the  strong-  man  broke 
down  and  cried  as  if  his  heart  would 
break.  He  did  not  dread  so  much  the 
penalty  of  death  as  he  did  the  leaving  of 
his  worse  than  orphaned  children  to  the 
cold  charities  of  the  world.  He  was 
comforted  only  when  the  g-ood  Deacon 
promised  to  look  after  his  bereft  chil- 
dren. The  Deacon  read  and  prayed  with 
him  and  left  him  to  his  fate. 

Early  the  next  morning-  Deacon  Long-- 
prayers  found  his  way  to  the  miserable 
hovel  where  the  children  were  sheltered. 
In  one  corner  of  a  dark  and  ding-y  room, 
upon  a  bundle  of  straw  covered  with 
rags,  were  two  sweet  faced  little  girls, 
crying-  and  sobbing  as  if  their  hearts 
would  break.  Between  sobs  they  cried 
out,  "Papa  was  g-ood  but  whisky  did  it, 
papa  was  g-ood  but  whisky  did  it." 

In  a  short  time  came  two  strong-  men 
bearing-  the  body  of  the  dead  father  in  a 
rude  pine  coffin  which  they  placed  upon 
two  rickety  chairs,  when  the  screams 
and  sobs  of  the  children  became  so  heart- 


1 20  CM  A  TTHEIV  TE  TERS 

rending-  that  the  officers  could  endure 
it  no  longer  and  they  turned  their  steps 
down  the  rickety  stairs  and  with  moist- 
ened eyes  hastened  from  the  terrible 
scene. 

The  brave  little  brother  lovingly  drew 
his  sisters  to  the  side  of  the  coffin  and 
said:  "Come  sisters  kiss  papa's  face 
before  it  is  cold,"  and  as  the  three  covered 
the  face  of  the  dead  father  with  caresses 
and  kisses,  they  continued  the  pathetic 
apology,  "Papa  was  good  but  whisky  did 
it,  papa  was  good  but  whisky  did  it." 

Deacon  Longprayers  stood  humbled 
and  self-accursed  before  the  awful  scene. 
With  tears  streaming  down  over  his 
cheeks,  he  raised  his  heart  to  God  and  in 
the  deep  anguish  of  his  soul  exclaimed: 
•'O,  God,  have  I  been  guilty  of  voting  to 
license  a  traffic  that  can  make  such  a 
scene  as  this  possible?  Great  and  mer- 
ciful Father,  forgive  me  and  I  promise 
Thee  that  never  again  will  I  cast  a  bal- 
lot for  any  man  nor  any  party  that  will 
stand  in  defense  of  a  business  that  can 
make  one  such  as  this  possible." 

"Mother  murdered,  father  hung,  chil- 
dren orphaned,  homeless,  penniless  and 
friendless,  this  is  the  real  "revenue"  that 
the  community  derives  from  the  licensed 


A  FOT{EIGN  IMMIGRANT  121 

saloon,"  murmured  the  deacon  as  he 
contemplated  the  object  lesson  that  had 
effectually  converted  him  to  vote  no- 
license. 

Before  the  day  was  done  he  had  sought 
the  presence  of  Matthew  and  taken  him 
by  the  hand  and  assured  him  of  his  in- 
fluence in  securing  his  election  for  Mayor 
and  warmly  congratulated  him  for  the 
stand  he  had  early  taken  on  behalf  of 
right  and  for  refusing  to  be  influenced 
by  the  bribe  of  public  revenue,  in  return 
for  municipal  immorality. 

The  sad  story  of  this  blighted  home 
was  rehearsed  from  every  pulpit  and 
platform  and  wherever  men  and  women 
congregated  to  discuss  the  issues  at  stake 
in  the  pending  election. 

Hearts  were  touched  and  consciences 
of  apologetic  church  members  were 
moved,  and  when  the  votes  were  counted 
out  Matthew  was  found  to  have  been 
elected  by  an  overwhelming  majority. 

Once  installed  in  office,  the  will  of  the 
people  was  enforced  and  men  who  sold 
intoxicants  in  violation  of  law  were 
shown  no  more  mercy  than  other  crimi- 
nals, and  anarchy  was  found  to  be  an  un- 
profitable practice  by  liquor  dealers. 

Matthew  held  the  office  which  he  hon- 


122  (MATTHEIV  TETERS 

ored  for  two  consecutive  terms,  promot- 
ing- sobriety  and  good  order  in  the 
community.  At  the  end  of  his  second 
term  as  Mayor  he  was  elected  to  a  seat 
in  the  Senate  of  his  state,  which  posi- 
tion he  filled  with  marked  ability. 

An  extract  from  a  speech  made  by 
Matthew,  on  a  bill  before  the  Senate  of 
which  he  was  a  member,  shows  the  keen 
sense  of  justice  this  foreign-born  citizen 
exhibited;  it  is  in  marked  contrast  to  the 
sentiments  expressed  by  the  majority  of 
the  native-born  members  with  whom  he 
was  associated.  Whenever  Matthew 
arose  from  his  seat  to  speak,  his  oratory 
was  of  that  high  order  that  his  honorable 
associates  always  paid  him  respectful 
and  undivided  attention. 

He  said:  "Mr.  President,  the  propo- 
sition that  is  before  this  body  at  this 
hour  is  to  enfranchise  the  women  of  Illi- 
nois. I  am  in  favor  of  it.  I  fail  to  see 
how  any  man  who  believes  in  a  govern- 
ment of  the  people,  by  the  people  and 
for  the  people  can  refuse  to  support 
this  measure.  Women  are  citizens  and 
'people'  and  to  deny  them  the  privilege 
of  suffrage  is  to  either  make  the  declara- 
ations  in  our  Bill  of  Rights  a  lie  or  deny 
that  women  are  'people.' 


A  FOREIGN  IMMIGRANT  123 

"We  declare  that  'taxation  without 
representation  is  tyranny,'  and  at  the 
same  time  deprive  one-half  of  our  citi- 
zens of  representation,  thoug-h  we  tax 
them  many  millions  of  dollars  the  same 
as  we  do  men.  We  sound  aloud  to  the 
world,  'that  all  government  derives  its 
just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  gov- 
erned,' and  continue  to  deny  one-half 
our  citizens  the  privilege  of  consenting. 

"To  do  this  is  to  practice  a  monstrous 
lie  before  the  world  and  a  rank  injustice 
to  the  most  enlightened,  intelligent  and 
patriotic  half  of  our  citizenship.  We 
have  exalted  the  foreigner  from  the  slums 
of  the  Old  World  over  our  mothers;  we 
have  given  the  untutored  negro  from  the 
plantations  of  the  south  power  over  our 
wives  and  daughters;  we  allow  the  stag- 
gering, ignorant  male  drunkard  to  make 
laws  for  his  sober  intelligent  sister,  and 
so  long  as  we  deny  suffrage  to  women  we 
commit  a  wrong  to  ourselves  as  men,  and 
stay  the  hand  of  a  better  civilization  and 
greatly  endanger  the  life  of  free  in- 
stitutions. 

"No  man  can  present  an  argument 
against  this  measure  without  writing 
himself  down  as  unworthy  the  rights  of 
citizenship  which  have  made  him  a  mem- 


124  m^TTHElVTETERS 

ber  of  this  legislative  body  and  clothed 
him  with  his  present  power. 

"Foreign  blood  runs  in  my  veins  but  I 
am  an  American  citizen. 

'  'On  behalf  of  the  noble  woman  who  took 
rae,  a  waif,  a  street  gamin,  and  made  a 
man  of  me;  on  behalf  of  the  sweet-faced, 
bonnetted  nurse  who  administered  to  me 
in  the  army  hospital  with  that  tender- 
ness which  needs  expression  in  the  laws 
of  our  land;  on  behalf  of  my  wife  whose 
cool  judgment,  unswerving  devotion  to 
good  morals  and  patriotism  has  been  and 
is  my  guiding  genius,  I  demand,  with  all 
the  sense  of  the  responsibility  I  feel  for 
the  present  and  the  future  welfare  of  my 
adopted  country,  that  we  do  this  meas- 
ure of  justice,  already  too  long  delayed, 
to  the  women  of  Illinois.  I  shall  vote 
'yes'  on  this  question." 

He  took  his  seat  amidst  a  fair  demon- 
stration of  approval. 

A  heavy-browed  and  coarse-visaged 
member  turned  toward  Matthew  and 
asked  in  a  half-angry  tone,  "Don't  you 
think,  sir,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  women 
to  rear  children  for  citizens  rather  than 
to  make  laws  for  the  country?"  punctuat- 
ing his  interrogation  with  a  low  chuckle. 
"Sir,"  retorted  Matthew,  "if  your  mother 


A  FGTKElGn  IMMIGRANT  125 

had  been  in  better  business  than  rearing' 
such  a  citizen  as  you  are,  judging  your 
character  by  the  votes  you  cast  in  this 
Senate,  the  world  would  have  been  better 
off  for  it."  Shouts  of  laughter  followed 
this  happy  retort,  when  another  member 
called  out:  "If  women  vote  will  they 
fight,  will  they  go  to  war?"  Matthew 
was  quickly  on  his  feet  and  with  that 
readiness  of  speech  which  characterizes 
the  man  honest  with  himself  he  replied: 
"No,  sir,  when  women  have  full  power  in 
popular  government  there  will  be  too 
much  tenderness,  common  sense,  conser- 
vative judgment  and  Godliness  to  permit 
settling  any  question  by  the  cruel  and 
barbaric  methods  now  practiced  by  men, 
and  as  one  who  has  been  maimed  by  shot 
and  shell  and  suffered  ten  thousand 
deaths,  because  my  sex  still  arbitrates 
with  bullet  and  blood  instead  of  by  the 
more  enlightened  methods  of  brain  and 
ballot,  I  urge  the  adoption  of  the  meas- 
ure. Woman  suffrage  will  speed  the 
day  when  the  sword  of  war  shall  be 
beaten  into  the  pruning  hook  of  peace." 
Most  generous  applause  met  this  effort 
at  the  hands  of  men  who  later  in  the  ses- 
sion cast  a  majority  vote  against  the 
measure  so  eloquently  and  forcefully  pre- 


126  mATTHElV  TETERS 

sented    by    Matthew,    the    foreign    im- 
migrant. 

On  every  other  question  presented  for 
official  sanction  he  took  the  highest 
grounds  for  justice  and  morality,  thus 
promoting  the  greatest  welfare  of  his 
state.  He  served  in  official  capacity 
with  the  same  wisdom  and  patriotism 
that  he  had  in  tent  and  upon  the  battle- 
fields of  the  civil  war. 


A  FCn{ElGN  IMMIGRANT  127 


XIV. 

HENRY   ROBERTS. 

FTER  several  years  faithful  ser- 
vice as  ag'ent  of  the  Under  Ground 
Railroad,  Henry  Roberts  re- 
turned to  his  Ohio  home  and 
died.  He  did  not  live  to  take 
part  in  the  civil  war,  the  awful  strug-g-le 
between  the  years  1861  and  '65,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  downfall  of  the  institution 
he  abhorred  and  for  which  he  had  g"iven 
his  life  as  surely  as  had  he  met  death  on 
the  tented  field. 

Although  this  was  denied  him  he 
broug-ht  from  the  South  the  street  gamin 
who  filled  his  place  in  the  ranks  of  Free- 
dom's Army,  and  who  now,  after  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  with  a  right 
arm  crippled  in  the  cause  of  Union  and 
Liberty,  recounts  with  a  grateful  heart 
the  unselfish  devotion  and  heroism  of  his 
friend  and  his  fellow-beine's  benefactor. 


128 


mATTHElV  TETERS 


XV. 

SAMUEL   PETERS. 


IVING  on  and  owning-  the  planta- 
tion near  Opelousas,  Louisiana, 
in  the  house  occupied  by  General 
Banks  for  headquarters  while 
engaged  in  the  Red  River  cam- 
paign during  the  civil  war,  is  Sam- 
uel Peters  and  his  charming  Acadian 
wife.  The  family  tongue  is  French.  It 
is  the  aim  of  Mr.  Peters  to  teach  all  with 
whom  he  comes  in  contact  that  love  and 
tenderness  bestowed  on  the  humblest 
outcast  and  most  unfortunate  human  be- 
ing is  the  highest  grace  attainable 
through  culture  and  good  fortune.  Love 
is  the  law  of  the  family. 


A  FOT{ElGhl  IMMIGRANT  129 


XVI. 

THE   OLD   TAILOR. 

HE  drunken  tailor,  for  such  lie 
was,  never  found  out  what  had 
become  of  Matthew  until  the  lat- 
ter's  visit  to  New  Orleans  in  1885, 
when  he  found  his  cruel  master 
with  some  difiiculty  in  another  and  more 
remote  part  of  the  city,  living-  in  a  small 
room  in  abject  poverty  and  wretchedness. 
He  was  g'rey,  wrinkled  and  bent  with 
age,  but  there  was  still  visible  a  semb- 
lance of  his  former  features  which  no 
one  who  had  ever  known  him  could  fail 
to  recog^nize.  He  was  amazed,  as  may 
be  well  imag'ined,  when  the  grey-haired 
visitor  disclosed  his  identity  and  he  rea- 
lized that  he  was  indeed  the  long-lost 
runaway  who  had  so  mysteriously  dis- 
appeared years  before. 

After  he  had  overcome  his  surprise  at 
this  strange  development  he  became  ex- 
cited and  infuriated,  for  he  was  an 
exceeding-ly  passionate  man,  and  be- 
g-an  in  a  most  shameful  and  profane 
manner  to  heap  his  abuse  upon  Pfeifer 
Frantz,  the  policeman,  who  had  entrusted 


130  m^lTTHElV  TETERS 

the  orphan  to  his  care  and  keeping-, 
charging-  him  with  kidnapping  and 
concealing  him,  though  Pfeifer  Frantz 
was  as  innocent  of  the  boy's  escape  and 
whereabouts  as  the  tailor  himself. 

To  appease  his  conscience  he  fumbled 
among  a  lot  of  papers,  brown  with  age, 
and  handing  a  letter  to  his  former  charge, 
accused  him  of  writing  it,  after  the  cus- 
tom of  German  families  each  New  Year. 
This  letter  was  full  of  expressions  of 
love  and  gratitude  for  faithful  care. 
Matthew  had  no  recollection  of  having 
penned  the  letter  of  gratitude  to  his  old 
tormentor.  This  beautiful  custom  of 
filial  devotion  had  no  place  in  the  exper- 
ience of  the  little  orphan.  It  was  a  for- 
g-ery,  written,  doubtless,  to  somewhat 
ease  the  conscience  of  the  man  who 
vented  his  unrestrained  will  on  a  helpless 
child;  his  life  had  been  one  of  grasping 
and  injustice,  his  old  age  was  embittered 
and  lonely. 


A  FOTiEIGN  IMMIGRANT 


131 


XVII. 

AT     HOME. 
A.  D.  1898. 

T  Watseka.  Illinois,  in  a  cottage, 
tasteful  in  exterior,  within  all 
the  comforts  of  a  model  home, 
with  an  only  heir,  Arthur  Van 
Lisle,  who  bears  the  name  that 
won  the  soldier's  bride,  with  books,  mu- 
sic, works  of  art,  (^.'jf?, 
flowers,  pets,  sun- 
shine and  good 
cheer,  Matthew 
Henry  and  Clara 
Lyon  Peters,  sur- 
rounded with  innu- 
merable frieuds,"are 
growing  old  beau- 
tifully together," 
with  an  abiding 
faith  that  it  is  not  all 
of  life  to  live  and  serve  self  in  this  fitful 
world. 

Their  hearts  and  hands  arc  ever  open 
to  those  in  need  of  material,  intellectual 
or  spiritual  help. 

Matthew's  ambition  is  to  be  instru- 
mental in  establishing  homes  for  orphan 


ARTHUR  VAN  LISLE. 


132  m/ITTHElV  TETERS 

children,  as  he  looks  back  over  his  own 
pitiful  childhood  and  out  upon  the 
army  of  waifs  in  our  cities  cast  adrift 
upon  the  helpless  conditions  of  orphan- 
age. So  do  the  afflictions  of  life  prepare 
usfor  hiarher  usefulness  of  one  to  another. 


Such  is  the  true  tale  of  a  foreign  im- 
migrant. It  is  the  glory  of  America  that 
out  of  such  birth,  much  adversity  and 
unhappy  environment  can  come  the  men, 
women  and  homes  which  represent  the 
highest  and  happiest  development  of  the 
human  race. 

The  kind  words  of  Henry  Roberts  that 
changed  the  career  of  the  street  gamin 
and  made  a  man  of  him,  the  motherly 
sacrifice  that  gave  him  a  home,  the  love 
of  country  that  braved  the  terrors  of  war, 
the  gentle  ministrations  and  tender  care 
of  the  gamin  for  the  centenarian  mother, 
teach  that  the  Golden  Rule  is  the  safest 
and  most  righteous  guiding  sentiment  in 
all  matters  pertaining  to  persons  or  na- 
tions, for  love  worketh  no  ill. 

The  story  of  our  hero  teaches  us  that 
this   is   God's   country.     Matthew's  sue- 


A  FOT{EIGN   IMMIGRANT  133 

cess  in  life  is  a  plea  for  worthy  foreign 
immif^ration. 

The  train  of  circnmstances  attending 
his  life  and  his  nobility  of  character  as  a 
citizen  emphasizes  in  the  minds  of  all 
true  Americans  the  sentiment  that  made 
the  greatness  of  William  Lloyd  Garrison: 

"Every  man  is  my  brother  aiui  every  land  my  country." 


/t 


ciisirici.    ii«B  c»t>. ..  .- 
eion. 

MVTTHKW    H.    PETKRS. 

Among  the  leadinR  and  most  progressive 
citizens  and  business  men  of  Watseka 
none  stands  higlier  than  Matthew  H.  Peters, 
who  conducts  the  best-known  and  largest 
book,  stationery  and  news  store  In  Watseka. 
Mr.  Peters  Is  one  of  the  old-timers  in  this 
vicinity,  and  enjoys  the  confidence  and  uni- 
versal respect  of  the  citizens  of  Iroquois 
county  and  eastern  Illinois.  He  carries  ev- 
erything in  his  establishment  essential  to 
the  successful  conduct  of  a  store  of  this 
character.  He  is  also  agent  of  THK  CF^I- 
CAGO  DEMOCRAT  AND  DISPATCH.  Mr. 
Peters  located  in  Wat.seka  thirty-three 
years  ago,  and  for  fifteen  years  was  the 
editor  and  publisher  of  the  Iroquois  County 
Times,  one  of  the  leading  Democratic  pa- 
pers published  In  this  vicinity. 

Ml-    r-  (•  r-  •  •    ■'     ' — '     -"-«  »•"- 

often    been    1 
be«>n  ohalrm,! 

PcTJlti.-      . 
llf    W.I-     . 

assembly  ot  minois,  \\a.-<  mu  u<;iiiuciunv_ 
candidate  for  the  state  senate  in  1884  and 
the  democratic  nominee  for  congress  In  ISSrt 
against  L.  E.  Payson,  who  defeated  him 
by  a  reduced  majority.  From  1876  to  1880 
Mr.  Peters  was  mayor  of  Watseka.  He  Is 
now  serving  as  a  member  on  the  board 
having  In  charge  the  affairs  of  the  new  pub- 
lic library.  Mr.  I'etcrs  served  four  years 
and  three  montlis  In  the  union  army  during 
the  war  of  the  rebellion,  serving  In  the  Six- 
teenth and  Seventy-fourth  Ohio  Regiments. 
He  enlisted  In  the  Seventy-fourth  Ohio  as  a 
private  and  came  out  with  the  rank  of 
major.  Ho  was  colonel  of  the  Ninth  Illi- 
nois National  Ouard  from  1878  until  1SS3, 
and  was  formerly  commander  of  Williams 
Post.  No.  26,  n.  A.  R..  and  Is  a  member  of 
the  Loyal  Legion.  He  was  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Stone  River  and  In  the  campaign 
against  Atlanfa.  He  Is  a  Mason.  Knight 
Templar  and  Odd  ElHow  and  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  P>'thlas.  Mr.  Peters  was 
married  In  1867  to  Mlsa  Clara  Lyon  nt 
Sycamore,  III.    They  have  one  child. 


^\^ 


/t 


l"> 


dlSiricl.     mo   ci<. 

Eion. 

MATTHEW    H.    PETERS. 

Among  the  leading  and  most  progrpsslvp 
citizens  and  business  men  of  Watscka 
none  stands  higher  than  Matthew  If.  Peters, 
who  conducts  the  Ijest-known  and  largest 
book,  stationery  and  news  store  in  Watseka. 
Mr.  Peters  is  one  of  the  old-timers  in  this 
vicinity,  and  enjoys  the  confidence  and  uni- 
versal respect  of  the  citizens  of  Iroquois 
county  and  eastern  Illinois.  He  carries  ev- 
erything in  his  establishment  essential  to 
the  successful  conduct  of  a  store  of  this 
character.  He  Is  also  agent  of  THE  Cf^I- 
CAGO  DEMOCRAT  AND  DISPATCH.  Mr. 
Peters  located  in  Watscka  thirty-three 
years  ago,  and  for  fifteen  years  was  the  i 
editor  and  publl.sher  of  the  Iroquois  County 
Times,  one  of  tho  leading  Democratic  pa- 
pers published  In  this  vicinity. 

Mr.  Peters  Is  a  stanch  democrat,  and  has 
often  been  honored  by  his  party,  having 
been  chairman  of  the  Iroquois  county  dem- 
ocratic committee  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  thirty-first  general 
assembly  of  Illinois,  was  the  democratic 
candidate  for  the  state  senate  in  1884  and 
the  democi-atlc  nominee  for  congress  in  ISXH 
against  L.  E.  Payson,  who  defeated  him 
by  a  reduced  majority.  From  1876  to  1880 
Mr.  Peters  was  mayor  of  Watseka.  He  Is 
now  serving  as  a  member  on  the  board 
having  in  charge  the  affairs  of  the  new  pub- 
lic library.  Mr.  Peters  served  four  years 
and  three  months  in  the  union  army  during 
the  war  of  the  rebellion,  serving  in  the  Six- 
teenth and  Seventy-fourth  Ohio  Regiments. 
He  enlisted  In  the  Seventy-fourth  Ohio  as  a 
private  and  came  out  with  the  rank  of 
major.  Ho  was  colonel  of  the  Ninth  Illi- 
nois National  Guard  from  1878  until  188."?, 
and  was  formerly  commander  of  Williams 
Post.  No.  25,  G.  A.  R.,  and  Is  a  member  of 
the  Loyal  Legion.  He  was  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Stone  River  and  In  the  campaign 
against  Atlanta.  He  is  a  Mason,  Knight 
Templar  and  Odd  FlHow  and  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  I*j'thias.  Mr.  Peters  was 
married  In  1867  to  Miss  Clara  Lyon  nt 
Sycamore,  111.    They  have  one  child. 


